Between an Angel and the Deep Blue Sea
by signaturesweet
Summary: For a princess who lacked nothing, Rin felt like she lost everything when a meeting on a sail ship took a turn for the worst. In her time of dying her selfless love for others brought her eye to eye, and lip to lip with a golden-eyed angel of the sea.Years later her matured mind desperately tries to abandon all childish imagination; fairytales were made only for children..right? AU
1. The Kiss Of Life

**AN: Welcome to my first AU story, something that I conjured up in my spare time when major writer's block struck me down from writing my usual post manga sess/rin stories. **

**To start off plain and simple, I have not stopped writing Market Mayhem, quite the contrary I have been working on it a lot lately, so much that one of the reasons why the update is taking forever is because it is very long, longer than this story and I have yet to finish it. My sinserest apologies for not updating it quicker, hope some you aren't too mad :(((**

**I can't blame my excuses, but in the beginning I had writer's block, then this story came to mind and I started writing it. Then when I actually was able to write the final chapter for MM… **

**MY F****** FLASHDRIVE BROKE!**

**A good half a chapter completely gone as well as the rest of my stories (thank the heavens for copy and paste so I can always get my stories back through the website) but yes, I had to re-write my chapter over entirely…and it was not easy as all DX This story is what survived since I had it open when my flash drive broke, but it still sucks that I had to rewrite another story over again.**

**It's coming along, much better then how I first wrote it in fact (my luck!) I am pleased by how it's going, but I never expected the chapter to be as long as it is though. Maybe over 15-20,000 words by the time I'm done. It was never my intention, but that is how it is…and I don't want to give my readers a cruddy chapter just because I rushed it…so I hope this story here can make up for lost time. Again so sorry! I have not abandoned fan fiction or my stories, just a few cases of bad luck.**

**On a brighter not my exams are over and I have a new laptop so I can work my a** off now without having to stay late at the collage lol **

**FYI my Sess/Rin stories are my main priority, but I found that writing AU can be very fun too, so even though this isn't part of my series of stories I was glad to have brought this story out. I love it as much as my others, and will try to update as often as I can for it, especially if I get good feedback. **

**This story line has been in my head for a very long time so I hope you all enjoy, and PS: Sesshomaru is in this first chapter so if all you see too much of Rin in the beginning please know that sesshy is in this chapter. I usually tend to read a story even if rin is the only one in the first chapter, but I've heard of readers that don't give it a chance if Sesshomaru is not in there so I just thought I would throw that small piece of info out there.**

**Other than that I hope you all enjoy and please R&R**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the Inuyasha characters. **

**Between an Angel and the Deep Blue Sea 1: The Kiss of Life**

She felt the broken pieces of her reality slowly bond back together when the ache in her head caused her to regain consciousness again. She heard something; some soft harmonious tune that her closed eyes could only picture out to be coming from some sort of instrument. Like some antique flute she thought, judging by the noise and echo it waved across her water clogged ears.

Whatever was being played let off a tranquil sound she had never heard before, and yet at the same time she felt so completely comfortable around. The beat of the sound felt so sweet entering her ears as she took in every little tune and dug a little hole to forever bury it within her mind. Apart of her even felt like staying the way she was-confused and groggy-yet peaceful so long as she could keep listening to that lovely music.

Her small little fingers dug into the ground when another wave of pain hit her head, and when she felt a sandy wet texture beneath the pads of her fingers more of her vigilance began to sink in as she started getting a better idea as to where she was. The tender tune of the flute fogged her mind in such a way that she had barely even realized the sound of gentle waves and howling seagulls playing in the background.

A beach, she thought, she must be on a beach. She had yet to recall how she arrived in such a place, and what she was doing prior to her blacking out. However, less she wanted to spend her final moments resting in the sand she moved her head in an attempt to open her eyes.

The flute's perfect harmony still filled the air, but never the less she began to open her eyes; choking on a few tiny coughs in the process. Half way through opening her brown pupils she frowned when the music stopped. The salty smelling air went silent and all she could hear was the waves crashing against the sand; all just a dream perhaps. But what happened before she ever began dreaming?

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

A sweet melodic voice echoed across clear blue crystal waters while foam covered waves pounded against jagged rocks and the group of seagulls above began adding their own musical song to the sea of tunes. Deep in the middle of the ocean, upon a sturdy wooden ship, the bearer of the music clasped her hands close to her heart as she ended her song with a bright high pitched finish. Her eyes closed as she took a few deep breaths to steady her beating heart and regain the oxygen in her lungs.

"There's something missing," she murmured quietly to herself while leaning over the wooden railing of the ship. She brought her head down and opened her eyes to reveal a pink cheeky faced little girl with big almond eyes and a cute toothy smile looking back at her through the salty water.

"But what?" she asked the wavy image of her reflection while she thought long and hard about what it was her song lacked. "The tune is good," she happily stated as she stood on the tips of her black polished dress shoes to lean further out over the railing. "Is it the words?" she wondered; immediately shaking her head when she was reminded of the subject of her song when the ocean air blew softly against her face. The fit of laughter that followed showed that there the young girl could never be at a loss of words over something she loved so much.

She loved to sing; yet nothing could compare to the love she had for the sea. Sure singing kept her busy, and it made her feel happy knowing there was something that she was good that made other people happy as well. She dreamt of one day being a professional singer, and performing in venues all around the world.

Yet something about the image of an endless land of water, the sounds of one element colliding against another, and the feeling of her hair getting tussled by the strong salty wind had her feeling things that her young mind had yet to learn the words to describe. It made her heart flutter like a seagull's wings, and made her tummy feel like it was attacked by a swarm of sea horses.

"The song is good," she smiled as she leaned even further out to get a better look at the reflection of her pretty bright orange crème dress filled with laces and ruffles. The three layered dress fit perfectly around her young body while a matching orange bow wrapped securely around a small ponytail hanging on the right side of her head whereas the rest of her dark curly tipped tresses cascaded down her back. The rest of her unseen body was covered by white stockings and black dress shoes that shinned as clear as the water below. "There's just something missing-"

Her words were no sooner spoken before she let out a breathy gasp when she felt the back of her dress being yanked. "Rinny!" shouted a rugged voice belonging to a large man in a navy blue dress coat and white trouser pants. "For heaven's sake child, can't you think of a better time to admire the ocean?" The large man pulled his daughter back until they both stood in the center of the deck; his chin hairs stood up when he thought about how close his daughter was to nearly tipping over.

"How embarrassing do you think your dear dad would feel when his guests see him soaked to the skin, all because he had to rescue his little princess from the perils of the ocean." The little girl's frown soon turned into her casual cheery smile when she felt her father's hand pat her head in comfort. "Well if I do fall over father you can always just yell man over board!" she yelled while waving her hands in the air. The man shook his head as he stiffened his chuckle, "Regardless what I yell little lady, you know better than to get to close to the edge of the boat. These waters are dangerous."

"It's not dangerous father," the girl countered with her small pout souring her sweet face. "I think it's…" she paused in her sentence as she looked back to see the clear blue sky shimmer off the wavy sparkling seawaters, "pretty."

The man turned his head in the direction of the sea, and arched his brow when he found nothing in particular that would have made his young ten year old look like she had just been struck by cupid's arrow. He sighed deeply through his nose as he took hold of his child's hand, "Nonsense, you know as well as I do that as beautiful as the sea is…it's deadly." The little girl watched the hidden sorrow spill from her father's eyes, and squeezed his hand in comfort. _Maybe if mother hadn't died the way she did, then father would love the ocean as much as I do._

It was a surprise to the girl that she even came as close to the ocean as she was now; on a boat in the middle of the sea. Ever since the incident with her mother some time ago her father never held a liking toward the water. He never allowed her near the ocean much less swim in it, and ever encounter she had with the water aside from her bath he was always nearby. Her even had their fine beach palace home barricaded by a large cemented white wall that blocked any path she or any other person may have to the ocean, but with her small size she found a few knicks and crannies to get as close as she could to her forbidden love.

Her father had lectured many times before on how he never wanted her near the sandy waters, however now he had business to pertain to with her uncle; a man who spent most of his life on a boat rather than on land. The ship she stood on was in fact his, from every barnacle sticking to the ship's side to every slimy piece of seaweed scattered across the old rotting wood of the deck.

"How his ship hasn't sunken by now I'll never know," her father said with a bitter tone.

She didn't know what the meeting was going to be about, but when she heard that it was on a real authentic sea ship she begged for many days for her father to take her along. She puppy eyed him, kissed his cheek multiple times, and even made a deal that if he took her along she would never sneak away from her arithmetic lessons ever again.

"Come now then young lady," her father urged as he took her little hand into his rough callused one. The child pouted once again when she looked back as she saw the image of the sea grow smaller and smaller. It was funny; she was finally able to get as close as she was and yet the feel of the cool ocean water against her fingertips still felt so far away. "It's time that we make the preparations in obtaining a new body guard for you."

"Body guard?" she repeated. The word had been brought up a few times in the past; a threat her father said he would commission if she didn't stop her little escapades relating with her crossing over-or under-the wall. She didn't know what use a guard would be; perhaps a snitch to her father and nothing more. "Father, I do not want or need a bodyguard," she argued.

"No argument Rinada," he firmly ordered; using her real name to further his serious attitude. "This isn't just about you running off to the sea. There are days when I am just too busy to be at your side, and with you being the princess of my estate that puts you in a lot of danger with other crooks who want our money." He ended the conversation with one last hard yet desperate look into his daughter's mocha brown eyes, "I can't afford to lose you too."

The child could only nod in comprehension as she too didn't want to promote the conversation any further. Her father added an additional nod before taking her hand again to lead her to the main deck of the ship. "Don't get upset over this little one, it is nothing to trouble yourself over. Our castle needs more guards and I have heard that these warriors are the best of the best where they're from."

"They?" she mumbled; there was more than one? The more the guards the more snitchers she would have, and the more the snitchers the less the fun.

"Yes, if you must know. They are a group of slaying warriors that are arriving from a distant land far from our own. They will come by their own boat, and dock onto your uncle's ship where we will meet them. Your uncle will then sail us all back to the main land where all the servants of the castle will greet us properly and we shall throw them a feast. They are very skilled and will prove to be well assets to your safety as well as my own." The man leaned down to his daughter's frowning face, and put his palm to her ear as he began to whisper.

"I also hear tell about there being a woman in the group."

"A woman, you mean she fights?"

"Yes, but don't go getting any ideas now, you are to be brought up as a lady of the court and not a fighter. She is well trained and I was hoping she could be your specific body guard."

"Really," she beamed, "Like a nanny…only stronger!" Her spirits began to rise as she happily threw away the image of some stiff old soldier whose only wish was to keep her in line. Now she hoped to look forward to a woman who could not only fight her battles, but hopefully also talk to her about girl things. Like what was it about the ocean that she loved so much?

"I also heard that there is a young boy in the bunch," the man added.

"A boy, he is a warrior too?"

"It's not uncommon my dear girl for there to be youngens off learning to fight. I hear he is perhaps a year or two older than you, and is most likely still in training. Perhaps you could show him the ropes around the castle, and make him feel comfortable."

The little girl's eyes lit up as bright as the beaming sun, "There's going to be another kid around the castle. I'm going to have a friend!" The talk about a female body guard made her day, but to hear that there was going to be someone else running around her home that was close to her age made her ecstatic. "I can't wait to meet him. Do you think he will like me? What's his name? What do you think his favorite hobbies are? You think he likes to play with dolls, should I ask him?" She continued her rambling until the sound of her father's laughter stopped her stream of words.

"Well as for the dolls I highly doubt he will be that interested in playing with them, and his hobbies are something for you to ask him. Now I don't know anyone who wouldn't take a liking to you," he patted her head, "and as for his name well…why don't you ask him yourself."

The little girl turned her head in her father's direction, and gasped at the visible sign of smock in the air. "Is that their ship?" she asked as she ran toward the railing to get a better look.

"Yes, must be. Why don't you be the first to go greet your new friend?"

In response to her panicking mode her racing little feet scurried to the stairs until she felt a hard object collide with her skull. Her body fell back, and she rubbed her now bruised head before she looked up to see a dark sinister stare look back at her through one dusky blue and one pale dysfunctional set of eyes. She flinched when the scraggy bearded man turned fully in her direction, and used her arms to shield whatever harm she believed her would do to her.

Her eyes grew in fear when she caught sight of his scare filled face; a long mark that stretched passed his pale colored right eye, and extended all the way to the lower area of his cheek. The rest of his face was bruised and dry; a map of stories in every scratch and skin that would make sandpaper feel like marble in compare. What stood out the most to the girl though was the long thick jet black beard hanging down the man's chin, and growing out to cover most of his upper chest. Like an octopus, she thought, sticking to his face and using its black ink to taint his soul and control that evil gaze in his eyes.

She heard his black worn our boots approach her, every step he made created a creak from the wood below. "No running on my ship," he ordered through a voice that could break the hardest of stones.

"S-sorry…" she mumbled while her vocals stood ready to scream if the stranger took one more step toward her.

"Now now brother," spoke the calming voice of her father that soothed her fears, "is that the kind of tone that you want to use around your niece." The little girl stiffened her gasp at her father's words, her uncle? She looked up at the terrifying large bulky man with the octopus beard, and a glare that nearly wanted to make her rush to the latrine. This man was her uncle?

The bearded man only grunted in response before spitting out a large substance of black goop that landed with a 'splat' on the already filthy deck floors. "How rude," the little girl thought to herself as she stood to take cover behind the white trouser pants of her father. She looked to her uncle as he walked over to grab hold of a dirty jug standing on an empty barrel. She watched in disgust; not at what he was drinking since she had seen her father drink 'grown up drinks' a few times before, but he drank with a certain etiquette and modesty considering he never drank more than one small glass every few days.

This man considered to be her uncle, however, drank down the ruby red liquid like in was some sort of life force. Like the way a shriveled desert man would drink his first taste of water she heard his deep gulps and saw his throat constricts with his neck bump springing up and down like a bouncing ball. Red drops of liquid leaking from her uncle's mouth, almost like blood, and disappearing into the forest of his beard.

Her father huffed, "That man would rather save his barrels of rum than the life of his remaining family."

Following his sentence, both the little girl and her father heard a menacing laugh, almost as if her uncle heard his younger brother's previous comment and was proud of it. He slammed his rum bottle on the wooden barrel, and turned to begin walking toward his brother. The girl hid behind her father the closer she saw her uncle get to her; the most she was able to see was his extended palm reaching out toward her father.

"What's your meaning?" said the younger brother.

"Your troops are here," growled her uncle, "We had a deal, where's my money?"

"Your precious money will come," she heard her father reply; "The deal was that you safely dock your boat to my lands. You won't see one gold coin till then."

By the flinch in his eyes it was obvious he was not happy with the answer given. He turned his head away, and hissed, "Fine, the sooner we get this over with the better. Now don't you have some guests to go greet?"

Upon hearing the word 'guest' the little girl remembered the reason why she was running in the first place. He charged from her father's leg and headed for the lower deck of the ship. "And no running!" her uncles shouted; irritated by the small chuckle followed by his brother.

She grew more anxious the closer she got; she heard voices and footsteps by the dozen. _I wonder what he will be like. _Her little feet scurried down below until she caught her first glance at a tall warrior in black. Soon more warriors came into her view; each as bulky and strong as the one beside them. All had colorful armor that they wore over their black skin tight outfits. Each set of armor was different, some blue while others had different shades of green. Yet once the color pink entered her line of sight she automatically took that to be the woman her father was talking about.

There was no doubt in her child like mind; it had to be the woman her father talked about for she was the only female in the group. No sooner had the young woman climbed on the ship before the little girl raced to give her a hand up. "Are you the one who is to be my new bodyguard?" she asked with a big cheeky grin.

She was beyond satisfied with what she saw, and hoped with every fiber of her being that this pretty woman was her new body guard. Unlike most warriors she held such a radiant beauty; nice straight light brown hair, unblemished light skin, a good toned body that held all the strength and power needed to fight, and a pretty face that was sure to capture the attention of many men.

"Huh?" the woman arched her brow before the sight of the happy girl brought a smile onto her face as well. She accepted the child's hand, "Well I suppose that depends little one; are you the daughter of the man who owns the castle on the beach." The girl nodded her head in response, "Mm-hmm my father in Roy Shelldamen, and I am his daughter Rinada Shelldamen."

The woman nodded her head, "Well miss Shelldamen I suppose this makes me your new bodyguard then." The woman extended her hand out, "I am Sango, and it is very nice to meet you." The little girl accepted the hand shake and smiled, "We'll have lots of fun."

"Sister, aren't you going to help me?" spoke the shy voice of a young boy who climbed aboard the ship with three large bags in his hands. "Come on Sango half of these are your-" His sentence was cut short when his eyes landed on a young girl in a delightful bright orange dress, and dark chocolate hair covering peachy smooth skin. "Uh…" he mumbled with the forgotten bags carelessly dropped to the ground, "H-Hi…"

Sango laughed, "Rinada I'd like you to meet my younger brother Kohaku. He's a little shy as you can tell, especially around girls," she teased as Kohaku's freckles filled face grew fire red. "Sango!" he shouted, his teeth gritting when his sister exploited his most kept secret and weakness. In a course of action to somehow make the pretty girl in orange not see him as some sort of weeping kitten he extended his hand out and held up eye contact as best he could.

"I-I'm Kohaku….," was all he was able to muster out. Well played, he thought sarcastically. After a few moments passed his hand was shaken, and Kohaku was then given a glimpse at the girl's beautiful smile that heated up the furnace in his head to a higher degree. "You must be the boy my father was talking about," she smiled in excitement, "your sister is already by body guard. I think me and her will become very good friends…do you want to be my friend too?"

Kohaku felt his palm begin to sweat, and quickly removed his hand before he embarrassed himself any further. He gently nodded his head, already earning another ear to ear smile, but decided to add on to show how his nervousness was the farthest thing from his mind. "Yes, I would like that very much…um…"

"My name is Rinada, Rinada Shelldamen," she answered with an added wink to her beaming happy face, "but because you're now my friend you can call me Rin if you want." Kohaku blushed, and added his own happy smile to match hers. "Rin," he experimented with the word; short and simple just like his new friend. "Very well, Rin it is."

Rin clapped her hands together in delight before she turned back to a now grinning Sango. "Oh, and you can call me Rin too Miss Sango."

Sango chuckled as she went to go grab the bags her brother had dropped, "Sure as long as you don't refer to me as miss again," she teased before throwing the bags over her shoulders.

"But, my father said…"

"I'll mention it to your father, you just stick to calling me Sango," the female warrior said with an added pat to Rin shoulder. The young female warrior left with a wave leaving Rin and Kohaku alone as each other's only company. Rin turned toward him, and raised his blushing, timid smile with a cheeky, happy grin.

"So," Rin stated out, "do you like dolls?"

Not far away from the little scene Roy stood in the middle of the deck eyeing his daughter and the young lad she was talking to. The boy's honest smile was all the proof he needed to know that their friendship had taken arise, and his rosy cheeks proved that the young slayer's father was correct in his prediction. He sighed as he took a glance by the rum barrels, wondering if his agitation would lessen if he had just one drink.

"Calm down Sir," spoke a rough yet friendly voice, before Roy felt a hand pat his shoulder. He turned his head to see the young boy's father smiling at him behind his shoulder. "I guarantee my son will do nothing to cause your daughter any harm," he assured, "I raised him to be a perfect gentlemen."

"I have no doubt," Roy complied before looking over to the two youngens again as they laughed over who knows what. The slightest red tint gathered on his daughter's cheeks and Roy let out another sigh through his nose. "Maybe we approached this too soon," he debated, "Maybe we should have introduced them when they were older…I am not quite sure how I am going to explain to my Rin that she is to be betrothed to the boy."

"I know where you come from," the leading slayer commented, "I have yet to tell Kohaku as well, but to be perfectly honest Sir I believe that it won't be necessary to inform them of their planned future together. I can already see that they are going to be good friends, so why not let things just fall into place. Your Rin is a very exquisite child; she will become a rare beauty in the future. As for my son, if he is anything like his father," the slayer gloated, "then his looks will be as sharp as his skills."

Roy nodded, "Still though, I would be broken if Rin were to detest me for planning out who her future spouse is to be."

"Or she would love you even more for picking out the best man for her," the slayer countered. "Would you rather wed her off to a cowardly prince whose only skill is hiding behind soldiers? Or see her run away to seek the adventures of life with some rouge bandit."

Roy cringed at the thought of any one of those ideas, "My worst nightmare would be for her to run away with some malicious pirate, and become a slave to the sea."

The slayer arched his brow at the odd thought before settling to put his arm over Roy's shoulder. "And so long as she is promised to my Kohaku you don't have to worry about that. He would protect her from any harm, I guarantee."

"Right," Roy smiled before taking another peak as his daughter and her future suitor ran off onto another side of the boat. So long as she was with him, she would be alright. Roy took another look to the ocean; he walked to edge so he could lean over a railing to see into the ocean's waters; his reflection became wavy and green. _So long as she is away from this despicable place…._

As the lean muscled man began to walk away from the edge of the railing, down below a shimmer of crystal silver scales, and white silk thread began to appear near the surface of the water. Sango stopped on her exploration of the ship when she spotted a silver glow appear near just below the water. "How neat, a dolphin!" she exclaimed.

"Dolphins don't swim in these parts of the water you stupid woman."

Sango turned to frown at the man with the octopus beard that insulted her comment. His black long hair and leather face made her scowl. "Well forgive my foolishness for not being educated about the sea. I just figured that anything grey in the water meant-"

Sango grunted when the man with the foul stench of fish and rum, pushed her away to lean over the railing; his expression hysterical, and his eyes roamed the sea as if he had just saw a chest full of gold sailing by. After of moment of staring out into the sea, he lifted his head to give her a deadly glare that nearly had her reaching for her weapon. "I would watch where you point that eye captain, slayers are not known for their mercy."

The captain growled before walking passed Sango; a rush of cold air ran up her spine when he spoke, "And I would advise you not to make false accusations about what you see woman, there are monsters that live in this sea."

Sango stood stunned, unsure whether to believe the captain's statement or not. She slowly walked to the railing, and leaned over hesitantly. To her surprising relief the silver batch of color was gone, as was her fear of finding some green slimy creature sliding out of the water to attack her family.

She let out a sigh as she dismissed the conversation to continue her exploring, unknown to her that just below the water's surface the silver glow appeared again. It wove its way near the boat before circling around the massive vessel to halt near a spot just below where a sweet voice sang.

Rin clasped her hands over her chest again, ending her song with the same high pitched tune as before as she sang her heart out toward the sea. The sun was beginning to go down; an orange hue began to tint the sky, and some pink and purples joined in to complement its luxurious colors.

When it was all over she recaptured her breath before smiling when she heard the one man clap come from Kohaku. She turned her head to smile, "What did you think?"

"That was amazing; I would have never guessed that a girl at your age could sing that well."

"Thank you!" Rin turned her body to ease away from the railing, fearing that her father would be furious if he found her near the edge of the boat again. "You don't think it lacked anything?"

Kohaku pondered her question, "Well I don't really know much about music, so I can't really say for sure. I say it was perfect though."

"Thank you, but I feel like it's missing something." Rin put her index finger to her chin, "Do you know how to sing?"

"Huh?"

"Maybe my song, will song better through a duet," she said.

Kohaku's face fired up at the thought of singing along, he could already hear his voice ruining the perfect melody that was just sung. He put a hand behind his head and used the other to wave the idea off, "I'm not much of a singer; in fact the only other person who used to sing to me was my mother."

"Your mother," Rin questioned, "Was she on the boat, I don't recall seeing her?"

Kohaku lowered his head, the same smile still plastered on his face, "She passed away a few years ago."

"Oh," Rin frowned, instantly regretting her question, "I'm sorry."

"It's ok, I still have my sister and she is constantly looking after me. I still have my father as well, and as far as they say my mother is in a better place."

Rin nodded her head, her eyes beginning to shimmer like the ocean's waters. "My mother is in a better place too."

Kohaku lifted his head, never imagining that they would come from the same background of the loss of a mother. He opened his mouth to word his sincerest apology, but Rin continued. "She was a very kind woman, very loving as my father would say. Her pictures are everywhere around the palace, but I don't need them to remember how beautiful she was."

"What happened to her?" The instant his sentence was finished Kohaku clamped a hand over his mouth, thinking now would be a good moment for Sango to bust him in the head for his inconsiderate question. "Say um!" Kohaku brought out his weapon, determined to make up for his mistake. "Why don't I show you a few tricks?"

"Really," Rin chirped.

"I may not be much of a singer," he said as he threw a forgotten plank of wood high in the air, "But I do know my way around a weapon." He took hold of his kusari-gama, and when he found the plank to be in perfect position he flung his weapon into the air. The orange sky lit up the dark grey wood of the plank.

Rin watched in amazement. Her friend's hook-like weapon twirled in the air while the chain that was connected to it remained secure in his hands. Her eyes shinned when she saw his weapon slice the plank into two, and flung back down to be caught in his hands, neither a scratch made nor a drop of blood seen.

"That was amazing!"

Kohaku smiled as he whipped the sweat from below his nose. To his shock and dismay however, one of the sliced wood planks fell at a rapid speed that crashed through one of the windows leading to the captain's quarters. Both children gasped as they looked up with horror stricken faces to see the broken window. "Oh, no," the young slayer slumped, remembering why he was referred to as a slayer in 'training'.

"Don't worry, maybe we can fix it," Rin said as she began to run up the stairs leading to the ship's quarters. "Rin wait," he objected just as she reached the door, "Don't be silly we don't know how to fix a window, why don't we just wait till one of our fathers can help."

Rin's little brows furrowed, "Well let's at least get the plank so no one suspects it was us."

Rin turned the door handle, brushing aside Kohaku's alarm as well the filthy crew member's glares. Her little body pushed the heavy door till she had enough sight to see into the dusty old room. Only a few windows occupied the room near the door, and only one window was seen on the opposite wall that lead to a grand view of the ocean. "Rin wait," Kohaku whispered as he neared his friend.

He looked around the room; antiques upon antiques filled every inch of the fair sized room. The window that faced the sea let in a bright orange glow that functioned as the children's only source of light. Their shadows followed them as they began to walk deeper in the room, dust caught in their eyes and the objects that were scattered about seemed like they would crumble from the mere faintest touch.

"Look at all of this stuff," Rin observed; tabled filled with dusty brown maps and old broken telescopes and globes. The floors were filled with large sized wood carved statues, weapons of a various amounts splattered amongst the floor, and the air was thick with the scent of dust, tobacco smoke, and the faint scent of the drink that Rin remembered her uncle gulping down.

Kohaku stopped near a certain wood carving; it seemed to be human as far as he could tell, but the lower half of the human female was not shown to have any legs. Instead he found a badly carved fin hanging behind her, and his face blushed as he tried to look away from the wood carved breast that presented themselves before his face. "What is this, a woman or a fish?"

"They're mermaids," Rin informed as she looked upon a large oiled painting hanging on the wall. A perfect image of a beautiful maiden that braided her brown auburn hair, seated on a smooth rock overlooking a beautiful waterfall. The image of her fin was of superb detail, Rin was almost sure that if she touched then she would feel the scaly texture.

She turned her head, never before realizing how many mermaid paintings hug on the walls. Some showed an image of more than one mermaid while other showed finer details on their fins than on their human like qualities. Each mermaid was as different as the next, but all equally as beautiful.

"What are mermaids?"

Rin took a quizzical look at her friend. "You've never heard of mermaids before?"

Kohaku shook his head, "My family originates from the mountains in the Far East, so I hardly ever get to see the ocean."

Rin turned her head in the direction of the beautiful mermaid painting again, "Mermaid are said to be creatures with the tails of a fish but the upper body of a human." Rin pointed at the ill-carved statue of what hardly looked like the beautiful beings she's heard about. "I wouldn't base my image of them off of that," she recommended before turning to point at the paintings. "These are what I've always believed mermaids to look like."

Kohaku looked up at the dozens of painting that decorated the old cobwebbed wall, again his face blushed when too much of the women's chests were revealed to his virgin eyes. "They're beautiful," he mumbled passed his reddened cheeks, "Do…do they really exist?"

Rin chuckled, wishing she could provide him with an honest truth. "My mother used to tell me stories about them. I'd go to bed dreaming I was one of them because she would put me to sleep with one of their stories. I used to believe they were real, I think my mother would want me to believe in fairy tales. She used to always say believing in the things we can't see makes life all the more magical."

Rin let out a deep sigh, "But my father long back told me that they were only myths; stories to put little girls like me to bed and to create a thrill seeker for pirates."

Rin lowered her head from the painting, "He doesn't like to talk about the ocean very much." Her heart sank as she thought back on how her mother used to hold her in her lap when she rocked her into a sleepy daze. She remembered her voice saying that she wanted her precious daughter's childhood to be filled with the magical experiences that she never got to experience. To this day Rin did not know what she meant, and hoped to learn as she grew older…if she still remembered her mother as vividly as she did now.

"Maybe we better find that broken piece of wood," Kohaku pointed out, instincts quickly taking control of his mouth the moments he saw Rin loose herself in a daze. He knew the look; Sango said he too would get it when he thought back on his mother as well as the other few family slayers he had lost.

Rin inclined her head before turning in every direction to spot what they had intended to come in looking for. "I wonder why the captain has all these mermaid-related objects in his quarters," Kohaku pondered as he lifted a small marble statue of a beautiful mermaid. His face yet again frozen in a red shade when he glanced at the woman's exposed breasts.

"My uncle is a scary man," Rin stated simply as she checked under a few tables, "Maybe he likes to see them because they are beautiful."

The young slayer got on his knees in hopes of finding something with a better look near the floor. "That man is your un-" Kohaku's sentence fell short, his eyes widened when they landed on an old black boot. His face turned up, fear tearing away at his innocent features.

"That's right, my father said they are brothers," Rin answered, completely unaware of the dark shadow behind her. "Don't worry, I find it hard to believe too, until a few days ago I never knew I even had an uncle." Rin lifted herself from underneath the tables, and felt her eyes grow in relief when a dark object appeared beneath a small table just underneath the mermaid painting.

"I found it Kohaku," she said before rushing to the table to duck underneath to fish out the broken piece of wood. A few splinters scratched away at her snow white stockings leaving a red trail of blood on her satin peach skin. She grimaced, but pushed aside the pain for her friend's sake. "Don't worry Kohaku; I won't allow you to get into trouble."

She smiled in triumph when her fingers brushed past a wooden object, and pushed her body further under the table to get a better grip on the wood. Before sliding her body out however, a bright light began to shine against her eye. She blinked away the sting of the light, and wondered how such an occurrence could happen when she wasn't even facing any windows.

She blinked away the little trace of tears, and held her gaze still to make out the wooden chest her small fingers had been touching. It was dark, that was sure enough or else she would have realized her mistake sooner, but something glowed within that box. Its light peeked through the cracks of the chest to strike right at her little eye.

Her other hand reached forward to grasp the other end of the chest, the wood completely abandoned from her mind. Treasure, she believed when the light flashed a pure golden glow, or perhaps a string of pearls like the kinds she remembered her mother to wear.

Her hands reached out for the lid, her fingers secure over the small chest before she felt a harsh tug pull at her legs. Rin gasped when she was dragged roughly from beneath the table, and met the dark blue eye of her uncle as she glared viciously at her through gritted teeth. The scent of rum still lingered on his breath.

"I heard your little squabble girl," he hissed, jerking her upward by the collar of her shirt. Rin stared back at Kohaku, who hutched low near a corner; shaking with fear at the black bearded man. Her eyes lowered when the disappointment hit that he was not going to come to her aid. Aside from him she and her uncle were the only ones in the dark dusty room, their shadows forming a black blob against the wooden walls, and the windows growing darker and darker by every passing second.

"So you believe I collect these treasures to admire a mermaid's beauty," he laughed, "Then you are a foolish child."

She watched him grab a random bottle of ink on the desk, the glass bottle resembling that of a long fish tail. At first she squirmed under his grip when she thought him to throw the bottle at her, but instead she gasped when he threw the bottle at the beautiful mermaid portrait that Rin had instantly loved. The black ink tainted the oiled paint, covering most of the mermaids face and hair. The ink left behind only a black inky creature that reminded Rin of the kind of monsters she had in her nightmares.

"I collect these things to remind me of what these so called 'beautiful' creatures are not. They are unearthly monsters who do not deserve to wear the masks of splendor!"

Rin hutched lower at her uncle's tone; his angry sentiments toward mermaids mixed with his vicious growls almost gave off the impression that he believed them to be real. He talked as if he had known them all his life, and that they were more than mere fairy tale legends. Rin gulped down a lump in her throat as she tried to contain her shaky vocals. "D-Do you believe in m-m-mermaids?"

She expected him to laugh at her; a deeper part of her wouldn't have been surprised if he even decided to strike the side of her face for asking such a ridiculous question. She received neither, but instead felt an anguish look befall her face when she realized that he had noticed the _still_ glowing box cradled near the elbow of her arms.

He pushed her away with one hand, her little body sprawling away in attempts to reach Kohaku but no avail with her uncle becoming a grave obstacle blocking her path to her friend. Her eyes could not look away from that box though, her mouth dropping open when the bright light shining within suddenly dissipated as her uncle picked it up.

"Finally," he announced as he pulled open the lid and peered in with narrow eyes. Rin heard his breath hitch, and saw his hairy knuckles turn pale white as he gripped the wood beneath his dirty fingers. "What manner of trickery is this," he growled; his frustration and anger seeping through his teeth. Rin did not understand what was happening; one moment the box was glowing, now it wasn't. One moment her uncle hardly gave a look at her, now she felt like all his rage was pointed at her once again.

"What were you brats doing in here anyway!" he roared as he hurled the box to the floor. The cracking wood spilt from the harsh contact, and from within the chipped confinements of the chest Rin saw a collection of shells fall to the floor beside her.

Her eyes sparkled in curiosity as she took a closer look at them. A row of old, muddy seashells hung together on a thin tiny string. The shells ranged from different sizes and forms, tracing the string from one side to another. Like a necklace, Rin thought before reaching out to grab hold of the grimy shells beneath her fingers. She lifted the necklace, surprised that all the shells hung in place, expecting for their weight to outdo the thin string and add to the mess on the floor.

Her fingers traced the dry mud on the shells, and noticed a few rocky pebbles that hung on to match the dull decor of the necklace. It was a filthy piece of jewelry, yet highly unique to the child's eye as it reminder of the kind of necklace she herself would make if she was at the beach. Not a trace of sparks as far as she could see, making her wonder where the small light from before came from.

"Answer me girl!"

Rin jolted at her uncle's shout. "We-I came in here to find a piece of wood that fell through your window."

"My window?" he repeated, turning his head to gaze at the broken pieces of glass that hid well on the already dirty floor. His eyes flared.

Rin gulped down yet another lump in her throat, her forehead sticky with perspiration. How she only wanted her father right now. "I'm truly, very sorry," she whimpered.

His eyes drifted from the ground, to her, then finally to Kohaku. "I have a funny feeling you're responsible for this boy."

Rin felt a pain of sorrow consumed her when she thought how all this trouble could have been avoided had she only listened to Kohaku, and now he was more than likely going to be punished for it.

She watched painfully as her uncle walked to Kohaku before lifting the young slayer up by the collar of his shirt. "You did this didn't you, I expect you to pay for this boy!"

"I-I-I…" Rin continued to watch as Kohaku stuttered out his apology, or excuse, or maybe both. Her little fingers gripped the necklace in her hands, her brows furrowed down.

"I did it!" she announced loud enough for her uncle to hear. He turned his head, and Kohaku looked her way in utter shock. "Rin no," he protest.

"It's ok Kohaku," she frowned in defeat. "It's all my fault, I threw the wood but I never intended it to hit your window. I was just mad that I had to have a new body guard," she lied. Her face lifted up to reveal a silent plea, "Please do not punish him, it was my fault punish me!" she cried out, feeling sudden warmth start to gather on her hand.

Her eyes caught the bright light again, and her gaze drifted down her right arm before a flash of bright light blinded her eyes yet again.

Kohaku and the captain cowered before the light, its magnificent glow illuminating the whole room, and sending shimmers through the windows. Rin was the first to open her eyes, her pupils dilated at the breathless sigh of sheer glowing gold lying right in the center of her palm.

"Rin…" Kohaku mumbled just above a whisper.

"Gold," she panted; starring at the golden seashell, and gleaming light pink pearls that now hung on a silver twine. The light faded from the walls and floors, but the golden necklace reminded as luminous as the sun. Rin felt her arm tug down, needing to use both her hands to carry the heavy set jewelry. She couldn't believe her eyes, all the dry mud had vanished to the point where she could even see her reflection through the golden shells, and she eyed the rich smooth pearls that she once saw to be rocky grey pebbles.

"You witch!" the captain shouted, his one good eye gave off the look of a murderer, and Rin shivered at the thought of what he might do to her now. "I'm sorry I…I don't know what happened…"

"Shut up," he hissed. His veins began to pop out from beneath his chin, even his large black beard looked like it would spring to life any moment. His eyes grew wide with fury, looking even more horrifying than the black inked painting. "You…," he growled.

"You're planning to give it to _him_ aren't you?"

"I don't know…who…my father?"

"Don't play games with me you lying brat, _he_ sent you here to retrieve it." Her uncle reached into his belt pocket, and unleashed a rusty dagger. "Don't try my patience," he warned, "Where is _he_?"

"I don't know who you're talking about," Rin refuted, the boat began to sway at a faster speed, and a sharp clap of thunder had Rin fall to her knees in fear. She turned her head, never realizing just how dark the sky had become outside.

The captain growled at the girl's lack of cooperation, and lunged himself to snatch the necklace from her hands. Rin gasped from the sudden jerk of her hand, and looked to find her palm empty. She looked up to see her uncle laughing sinfully with the necklace now in hand. "I don't know why _he_ would sent a tiny thing like you," he taunted, "You can't even help _him_, now you both will suffer."

"Help who!" Rin shouted, her confusion sending waves of frustration to her temples. The captain recovered his footing when the ship began to shake, and then looked to his side when he suddenly felt the necklace in his hand grow lighter. His eyes flinched when the sight of gold began to disintegrate; like a dying fire the light vanished to leave the same dirty necklace that Rin was holding prior to the transformation.

"What!" the captain cried, "No, what has happened?" His fury extended to his hand as he frantically shook the necklace in hopes that his deranged actions would somehow turn the dirty sea shells to gold again. His actions halted, and his anger filled eyes sent daggers to Rin. "You, this is all your fault!" She panted at his harsh stares and tone, and everyone stumbled back when the ship was rocked again, the thunder becoming louder.

Her steps faulted once again when the ship swayed the opposite direction, and the captain took his chance as he hurled his body toward the girl, his dagger ready in hand. Rin's mouth dropped at the sight of the sharp dagger approaching her, and scooted away with her arms lifting up to shield her body. A dull 'clang' was heard, and when opened her eyes she exhaled a breath of relief when she saw Kohaku defend her with his own weapon.

"Boy," the captain warned, though Kohaku kept his stance, unfazed by the man's foul temper. His shy coward-ness would have to be set aside for the moment, he made an oath to his father to protect the girl behind him, and so he would do.

The fight did not last long; another spark of lighting dazzled the dark sky, and Rin peeked through the window to see drops of rain tapping the dusty glass. A storm was approaching, a fact that she had not expected since the weather was calm and sunny only a few moments ago, but now there was no denying it and it was approaching fast.

The ship swayed to the far right, then to the far left; dropping all the shelf and table items to the floors. The captain's dagger scraped against Kohaku's weapon, and they both fell to their side. Kohaku fell back as Rin tried to cushion his fall with her palms, and she saw her uncle fall on his side with a deep grunt. Her eyes flickered to the necklace, abandoned by her uncle's grip and now sliding along the floors.

"Captain!" Came a gruff shout from the door; a middle-aged, tan skinned man with tattered cloths and a bandana wrapped around his head steadied himself at the doorway. "Captain, a storm's coming. The ships' directly in its path…"

"Well then start moving it!" he commanded as he picked himself up off the ground. His legs wobbled as he walked back to the door, his head turned over his shoulder to give the two children an icy stare. "I think locking you two up will be punishment enough," he stated before slamming the large door behind him with an added click.

"Did he really lock us in?" Rin murmured, seeing Kohaku stand to balance himself toward the door. He tugged and pulled but no progress, even with his own slayer strength. "No good, its locked shut."

"What will we do now?"

Another thunderous roar shook the ship, sending the children on their knees again. More bottles of various sorts fell to the ground, popping like dynamite and sending a mess of ink everywhere. "Well we can't stay here," the young slayer complied as he got up to bang on the door. When his fist brought about no progress he used his weapon, but Rin saw that the sharp end of his hook-like weapon only ended up wedging itself between the wood. She saw her friend grunt in disappointment before removing his weapon to start conjuring up his next plan.

Rin stood still on her knees, clutching the old necklace in her hands, never once wondering why it had yet to turn back into gold. Her mind was set on other things, and she stood to stagger to the far window on the other side of the wall. Her head barely reached the edge as she looked out to see the sky covered by darkness, as if the warm sunset that she had previously seen was just a thing of her imagination.

Her eyes squinted past the rain water that dripped against the glass; a blurry image of a small light caught her eye. She tried her hardest to see past the rain, but no avail. _We have to find some way out of here. _In her last attempts to save them Rin grabbed hold of a nearby weapon that lay near her foot. Never in her life had she ever handled such a dangerous object, but her desperation kicked in when she realized her life was on the line, and she swung the old rusty rod against the glass as hard as she could.

The impact only crashed the corner of the window, and the glass broke leaving a small space for Rin to peek out from. She sat on her hutches, and gazed through the small hole till she caught sight of that light again.

A lantern drifted against the sea, and Rin saw that more than ten men were all crowded on one small life boat. Her heart sunk with anguish and despair when she saw one of the men try desperately to reach out toward the ship. Though the rain made everything dim, she was still able to make out the desperate face of her father as he frantically tried to get back into the water. Her name was called through the distance as the men tried to bring her father back into the boat.

"My father is on that boat," she chocked. Tears began to come forth when she saw how weak the boat stood against the mighty roar of the dark waves that crashed against them. From what she could tell nobody on that life boat was in any position of feeling secure, and by the sight of the raging clouds and wild waves she could not blame their shameless signs of vulnerability.

"Rin get away from there," Kohaku demanded as he clutched her hand tightly. "We need to get out from over here." She watched as he used his weapon to break the rest of the glass that was on the window the wood had broken. He stared out past the window's edges and gasped as the horrifying scene of man vs. nature.

Rin lifted herself up to get a better look too, and gasped at the scene of water spilling over the railings of the boat, and the heavy sails fluttered loose in the wind, forming odd white shapes; like monsters attacking the boat. Water spilled from every direction, and a few crew members desperately tried to hold on to any means of support while others were washed away, as if the sea had suddenly grown arms and was dragging its victims down to their watery deaths. The sky was pitch black, aside from the occasional streaks of lighting that reminded Rin of leaf-less branches. The boat was soaked to the core, and Kohaku shivered when he felt water begin to seep through his boots.

"We have to get out of here now, the ship's sinking!"

He put her shoe on his palm, lifting her up to get through the window, but a sudden rock had them both stumbling to the ground. The ship rocked to the far right again, sending them along with all the objects on the floor to the far right wall. Rin felt her head slam into the wall behind her, her breath knocked out of her lungs, her vision becoming dizzy. There were only a few things she remembered beyond then; a single dark table falling down her way, and placing that old sea necklace within the confounds of her dress…

Kohaku readjusted his movement to quickly grab hold of his friend before the table smashed into the wall, and held her close to a corner with his weapon in hand. The water was beginning to rise, and from the screams and shouts coming from the other side of the walls he knew that even if he did escape they would be nowhere near safety. He held Rin close to him, trying to share their body heart when the chill of the water touched his knees.

He looked down at her unconscious features, wondering if the rumors he heard were true. He wondered if this pretty girl was truly supposed to be his future wife. He vaguely overheard his sister mention it a few times to the other slayers, but word never really got out enough for it to become a fact. Nobody declared the rumor true, but the thought of being by her side was not a bad one. The way she stood up for him melted his heart; he just had to somehow save her. To at least get her out of this hell hole, he thought.

He picked Rin up with his arms, and stared at the two windows on either side of his body. One was a one way trip to the sea, and the other led to the ship's deck where they will no doubt be dragged into the sea anyway. He pondered on his decision for a few seconds before taking out his weapon to strike the same window Rin had smashed earlier. The glass broke easily, and the hissing sound of the wind entered.

Kohaku stumbled a few times, but mustered up enough strength to hurl both him and Rin through the window without so much as a scratch from the glass. His mind hazed at the fall, and when the cold rush of water struck his body he momentarily scolded himself for forgetting to hold his breath. His hand unconsciously released his hold on Rin as he struggled to somehow grab hold of some much needed air. His mind was in a black fog, and for a few seconds he took in the scene of the sea.

The water began to brighten, and a part of his mind registered the fact the storm was beginning to stop. His body floated up, bubbles began to spill form his lips till his nose touched the surface of the water. Instincts took over and he launched himself up from the water to inhale a large amount of the salty air around him. His breath became pants, and his eyes widened with unsheathed tears.

His body drifted up till he began to float on his back, allowing his sore muscles to relax under the cool sea's touch. His mind was still blank, and visions of his father began to fill his head. The proud smile he wore, and strength he shared to all his fellow slayers. He also thought about his sister, and her strict, yet kind nature toward him. Mothering him when he needed it, and becoming the sister he needed her to be at times.

_Father…Sister…where are you?_

_Rin…where are you?_

His mind was ready to give up, and his eyes nearly shut closed to allow the sea to drag him in until a black object was seen floating near him. Kohaku's eyes lifted slightly. _Is that what I think it is…?_

Deep down under water, a small girl lay motionless as her body sagged down lower to the bottom of the ocean. Her eyes were shut, but somehow her mind still registered everything that was happening to her. Am I really going to die, she thought. Was I put on this earth to be killed by the very thing I love most; she wept; her tears only adding to the salty water. Throughout the entire trip all she wanted was to take a nice dip in the sea, and now she got her wish.

_Father…._A piece of her heart shattered, an unspoken truth whispered in her mind that she was not going to see her father again for a very long time. She tried to recall everything about him; the last few moments she was able to share, but the ache in her heart only caused her to spill more tears; not that she noticed.

The water had grown warmer, and from the sounds above she almost believed that the storm had stopped. The warmth spread to her body, like as if she was basking in the sun, and for a few moments she peeked through one eye lid to gaze a sea of orange shimmering water. The sunset from before had returned to the sky, and Rin almost though the entire incident with the storm had been nothing more than a nightmare.

A horrifying nightmare where she will wake up to find her house maids come to her aid with water and her father would come to console her.

Her breath was out of oxygen, and she let the bubbles spill from her mouth in large gasps. Her fingers were numb, as were her legs. Her mind was going blank; she thought about her beautiful loving mother, her strong protective father, and the new kind boy that she had hoped would become her new best friend. She chocked on her tears when the fact of her situation hit her that she was never going to sing in all the venues she hoped to perform in.

She would never receive her first kiss.

She would never grow up and fall in love like her father never hoped she would. She would never don her mother's expensive dresses, or attract a kind young suitor in the market squares. She would never grow up to see the love in another male's eyes, and see his reaction when she would wear her mother's jewelry.

_Jewelry…_

Her eye's squinted farther open, taking in the sting of the ocean water as it covered her sensitive eyes. A large lumpy object was floating away from her grasp. The necklace had somehow woven its way from out of her dress, and begun to float upward when in fact (considering she was human and it was a heavy set of jewelry) it should have been the other way around.

Despite her foggy state of mind, her hand instantly rose up to grasp hold of the necklace; completely in disbelief when in her range of sight she was able to make out a silhouette image of a slender hand on the other end of the necklace. Her eyes were still dazed, but her mind took in the image of a sharp pair of nails resting on the base of long slender fingers that lead to a slim, yet strong hand and all the way up to, what appeared to be, a stripe-colored wrist.

From there Rin closed her eyes, more than convinced that she had entered a dream state. Her head fell back in hopes for her mind to darken, but felt herself jolt when a smooth satin touch caressed her cheek upward. Her eyes remained closed, unable to bear the pain of opening them again, and only felt the transactions that were proceeding across her body.

The soft silky hand glided across her face before she felt a pair of strong fingers tilt her chin upward. Her mind suddenly became hot, and she was more than sure it was not from any sort of light this time.

Her mouth involuntarily twitched when something warm and soft brushed against her lips, claiming her parted mouth, and sending a rush of air into her lungs. She gasped, but was reluctant to push away the very life force before her whom was sending oxygen to her lungs.

Despite their intentions, Rin allowed her body to relax in their hold. Fingers still held her chin still, and the feeling of another's lips against her own brought out a sensation she could not find the words to describe. Like her love for the sea this creature kissing her made her feel something she could not put into words to describe.

She still felt the air enter her mouth, finding a strong taste of mint to be left on her tongue; mint and coconut, mixed with sunshine and the faint taste of the ocean breeze. Rin settled with that taste on her tongue and let her mind drift away in a much needed sleep.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

It was all a dream, she thought as her eyes slowly began to drift open. A rush of sunshine hit her pupils.

It had to be a dream, she thought to herself.

It had to be; otherwise she would not have woken up to find the most beautiful set of eyes looking back at her. The sunset glazed the background, but the hue of light she was driven to, came from the butter-gold depths of a stranger's eyes as they stared back at her with equal confusion and interest.

The sweet music was gone, much to her disappointment. She wondered what it would have sounded like if she sang with it. Another part of her wondered if this golden eyed being was the one who saved her, who kissed her.

So beautiful, like rich crème pools of honey staring back at her, and her eyes examined further beyond to discover the silver sheets of hair that cascaded down their head, and over this unknown creature's shoulders. The orange sunny background darkened her view on her savior, and instead of trying to visualize their looks she raised her weak hand toward their face.

There was no hesitation, and Rin was glad that they did not back away. However, she did feel the object in her hands being tugged. She felt the necklace in her hands, surprised that she still had a firm grip on it, and lifted her forearm up so that it rested near her head. For now, all she could see was the creature's face, any lower and she would have to strain eye sight, which at the moment was something she really would rather not do.

Her mind was foggy; her thoughts were dazed as she thought about the most unpredictability topics_. I wonder what the cook had planned for this evening's meal, what homework was I supposed to turn in to my history teacher, did I arrange my doll collection in order from big to small or from prettiest to dullest._

As if on their own accord, her hand reached out to the stranger's face, all the while feeling their hand move to pull the necklace free from her hold.

Her fingers touched their wet, yet pearly smooth skin, reminding her of the pearls on the necklace. So smooth, soft, yet she could feel the hard sculpted cheek bones underneath. Like velvet over stone. The pads of her small fingers danced across their cheek, barely making out the unusual looking markings on their face. She felt the stranger pull at the necklace in her hands, but she only tightened her hold.

"My father is dead," Rin whispered through dry lips, and glassy brown eyes. The tugging stopped, and she felt the creatures gaze drift to hers once again. She didn't know what brought her to suddenly announce such a heartbreaking thing; especially to someone she did not even know. Yet the moment her father came to mind, a wash of despair and anguish covered her heart. She knew it to be true, and whether the stranger was there or not she would have announced it, just so she herself could hear it.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, staining the sand with a drop of moisture. Her fingers traced the strangers jaw line, and then bypassed his lips to outline the bridge of his nose. So well sculpted; like the Greek sculptures she remembered seeing in class. After her fingers ran up the bridge of his nose, she reached for his perfectly split bangs.

"My mother is also dead," she then said, again not knowing what ailed her to revealing such personal information. In the strangest of ways, this unknown creature carried with them an air of comfort that gave Rin the reassurance that anything she said would neither harm nor benefit her so long as this stranger was near. It was outlandish, but to her she decided not to question.

"I'm alone…." she murmured in a hushed tone, just as her fingers touched the tips of wet silver sleek bangs. "I'm alone now," she repeated while her fingers worked their way into the stranger's silky tresses. Though they were wet, the locks shinned against the orange glowing sun like glossy silk, and in some area where their hair was drier, she felt like her hands were running across a satin smooth curtain.

After paying homage to their hair, her little hands took their exploration back down to the stranger's lips. Her eyes gazed at their lips, as if just the mere sight had her mouth yet again tasting a palate of mint and coconut. Of course, this all could just be her hazy mind playing tricks on her.

"But," she regarded, "at least my father won't be alone."

The stranger's eyes blinked one; like the flickering of a fire light. Rin allowed her fingers to roam the set of lips before her. As smooth as the skin she had previously touched, she thought, as she traced the curvy outline of their lips finding their mouth to be without a smile. A straight line the whole way, but with the recent experience she had with those set of lip she would hardly call them lifeless.

"At least my father will have my mother with him," she said, a slight smile breaking through tear stained cheeks. "Or maybe I'm the one who's dead," she reconsidered. "If that is the case then my father will be the one who is lonely."

Her watery eyes blinked again, her breathing increased. "Maybe this is heaven," she marveled, then turned her gaze to stare into the golden gates shinning within the stranger's eyes. "Then you must be an angel," she inquired, almost smiling at the brow that rose at her declaration.

Her eyes closed again; her hands still lingered on the angel's lips and her ears listened to the steady melody of the ocean's waves. "I wonder if the rest of heaven is as pretty as I imagined," her lashed fluttered open to still see golden eyes staring back at her. "I wonder is all angels are as beautiful as you are." This time both brow rose in mild shock and Rin let out a sweet chuckle before another thought faltered her laughs.

"Then it is my father who is all alone," she said, a frown furrowing her brows. "I'd rather him be here with mama, and I be the one alone."

The angel's eye blinked again. "You think I can switch places with him…Do angels have the power to do that?" she wondered. "Please allow him up here with mama, I don't mind being alone. My father has suffered enough."

The girl pleaded with this creature before her; her hand moving to rest peacefully on a soft cheek. She couldn't fathom why she felt the need to touch this creature; perhaps to prove to herself that she wasn't alone.

All the while she was being stared at as if she was some sort of scientific experiment gone completely wrong. From the corner of her eye, a soft glow appeared near her hand. It warmed her palm, and the necklace laced with her fingers suddenly grew heavy. She didn't need to strain her eyesight to see what was happening, she knew for she remembered the sensation. Yet, her tiny gasp gave way to her realizing the truth of the situation.

The golden glow appeared on the angel's face, lighting up the features that she was unable to make out before.

He…she…it was beautiful. The twin magenta stripes slicing across alabaster cheeks, the same magenta coloring streaked across long dark lashes, and a blue crescent moon residing right in the center of silver split bangs. Her eyes strained to see past the angel's sharp chin, but her eyes were sore enough from all the sea water she remembered nearly drowning in.

"Oh," she mumbled, "So I guess I truly am alive…"

The stranger's eyes grew slightly wide at the sight of the necklace turning into gold, yet for the simple reason that he was not as shocked as she first was gave reason to believe that he had seen the transformation before. His eyes lingered on her hand, till her next sentence brought his gaze back to hers.

"I guess…we're both lonely then…"

His eyes narrowed at her statement, obviously irate about her comment. Yet she could see it though, she could see the lack of emotional ingredients that made up the tasteless golden wine in his eyes. Like an empty golden jar, so distant, so aloof.

"You're lonely too, aren't you?"

She frowned when she saw those eyes narrow further; lips turned up into a small boyish pout. She could tell their facial expression was trying to deny her comment. She felt a tear almost spill when they moved their cheek away from her hand, their eyes drawn back to the necklace.

"It's ok, I don't think I have anyone either…"

She felt a sharp tug at the necklace, and reluctantly she let it go. Another half of her heart felt like breaking; her mother, her father, her friend, now her savior…all leaving her.

"You don't have to be lonely," she tried to reason, anything to try and make her rescuer stay. "I'll stay with you…"

His eyes turned back to her again, and her breath hitched when they leaned closer. A tint of humor covered their eyes, as if they knew something she didn't, and they gradually shook their head. "Oh…," she shrugged, her eyes closing again. Sleep wearing in on her. Her eyes peeked through her soft dark lashed, and her hand rose up to near the creature's face; still confused as to what or who they were.

Her hand hesitated, but when she saw them lean their face in she felt a wave on contentment near her heat as she palmed their cheek again. "Thank you for saving me." Their eyes met again, golden honey mixed with chocolate brown till their gazes mingled to create the sweetest connection. And in response to their soft gaze Rin turned her lips upward. Despite her loss, she smiled sweetly at her savior, still unaware as to what they were, but a part of her no longer caring. Her mind began to relax, and her mouth started sputtering small forms of nonsense such as, "Will you stay with me?" When it would have been more ridiculous if she had asked, "Do you like dolls?"

A small rumble waved through the air; almost like a chuckle if she had heard correctly. Her mind grew darker, sleep desperately wanting to take over. Just as her lashes nearly covered her eyes that sweet flute-like music began to play again. She smiled when she heard its soft tune, a small sigh escaping her mouth as rhythmic melody lulled her to nearly reaching sleep.

Her eyes began to close again, satisfied with her last look on the golden eyed being until a splash of water woke her instantly. The thought of her angel leaving her was enough for her to lift her face up, no longer caring of the headache that formed on her temples.

She nearly choked on the lump in her throat when she caught sight of the bright sunset that mirrored itself on wave crashing waters, and the remaining image of a long silver scaled fish-like body that sunk into the water followed by a long translucent like fin that vanished into the sea leaving a few sparkles of water in their wake.

Rin lay stunned, her eyes as wide as two full dinner plates, and her mouth dropped like an anchor from a ship. Her headache vanished and was replaced by a wave of dizziness. She tried to down the lump in her throat, but all she could do was stare at the area of water that a large fin just disappeared in to. _Did I just see…?_

Her shoulders slumped, and her head fell back with a soft 'thump' against the sand. Her mind went blank, and darkness filled her eyes till she fell into an endless land of dreams.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

"Rin…"

Spoke a shy soft voice. "Rin are you awake?"

"Miss Rinada," came a familiar sounding voice.

The little girl grunted from her position on the soft cotton bed; her fingers gripping the soft sheets. After a few murmurs, and a few groggy yawns Rin's eyes slowly drifted open. Her vision was blurry, but when the smooth liquid of fresh water touched her lips her arms voluntarily shot up to grasp the glass and gulp down the cool liquid just as her uncle gulped down his run.

She choked some when she drank too fast, and fell back on the father soft pillow.

"Rin are you ok, can you open your eyes?"

Rin lifted one lid, her vision gradually recovering till the sight of a smiling freckled face came into view.

"Kohaku?" she stuttered till more of the boy's image came into view. Her eyes opened wide, "Kohaku!" She lunged at the boy, hugging his arms with one of her arms, much to his embarrassment. "You're alive!"

His face turned beet red, and he gently took her by the shoulders to lye her back down. He smiled back at her. "Yes, I'm fine. How are you feeling?"

"Hungry," she answered truthfully.

An old maid walked by Rin's bed; one of the many maids Rin had. She looked around; she recognized the white washed walls to be her room, and the light purple sheet bed to be her bed. She recognized her dressers and wooden closets, as well as her vast collection of dolls and toys, and the stack of unread books on her nightstand and unfinished homework on tables.

She was home.

"For you Lady Rinada," said the maid as she handed Rin a bowl of soup. Rin's eyes shinned with sheer gratitude as she eyed the steamy bowl of broccoli and cheese soup. "Thank you Miss Kaede." The maid gave the child a sad smile before she backed away.

Rin eagerly allowed her maid to fill her mouth with spoonful's of soup, sipping down the hot broth with while she dismissed the liquid's heat, only seeking to satisfy her empty belly. Kohaku watched her eat her meal, and once she was done and Kaede took the bowl away he took her by the shoulders again.

"Rin, how did you survive?"

"Huh, well…how did you survive?"

Kohaku twitched as he thought how the interrogation switched on him, but he complied to answer. He walked over to his bag, and came back with what appeared to be some kind of head piece.

"This is a gas mask that slayers use so they won't inhale any kind of poison," his eyes drifted down. "It was my fathers…"

Rin looked dearly at her friend, not knowing what she could say to make him…either of them feel better. Kohaku continued, "I found it floating near me on the water, and used it to keep from drowning. From there I found a nearby log and swam as far as I could till, I believe, one of your estates ships helped me out."

The maid, Kaede nodded, "It's true, one of the castle's sailors found this young boy out in the middle of the sea. Had they not shown up I don't think he would be here now."

"I would have tried to save you Rin," Kohaku assured as he gripped her smaller hand in his, "Really, I would have had I known that you were still alive."

"I believe you," Rin smiled, "You have already done so much." She squeezed his hand before letting go. "How did you find me?"

"Yae actually be unconscious just outside yae castle me lady," Kaede answered, "On yae own private beach."

"I was?"

"Yeah, two soldiers ended up finding you when their guard dogs smelt you on the beach. I can't really remember their names-"

"Ginta and Hakaku" Rin smiled, "I will have to thank them later, Sargent Koga will be proud."

A moment of silence passed before Rin spoke again, "Your sister?"

Kohaku's silence was all Rin needed to know the answer, and she felt no shame in allowing her maid and friend to see her spill a few tears where Kohaku didn't. It was not the slayer way to cry, no matter how hard, he simply gripped his father's gas mask.

"Rin," he started off, taking her hand in his again. "Rin…your father he…"

"I know," Rin quietly answered. Kaede stepped in, "My lady, you mean you heard that he didn't survi-"

"YES! Yes I know…" Rin silently wept; her tears marinating her pillow while her maid consoled her by resting a hand on her young lady's shoulder. A few moments passed before Rin's pillow was soaked with fresh tears, the dry stains still caking the young girl's red eyes and cheeks.

"And my uncle," she asked, though she could see through Kohaku's gaze that he was just as surprised as she was to have asked that question. "No sign of him or his crew," he sighed deeply through his nose, "I think we are the only ones who survived though…that had to be the strangest storm I have ever encountered."

"I'll never forget it," Rin said, feeling something hard brush up against her hand. Her brow furrowed in curiosity.

"Rin," Kohaku calmly called out.

Her head turned to him, her eyes drowsy.

"How…how did you survive?"

Rin contemplated his question, and turned her head down to lift a heavy object that she didn't even realize she was holding.

She felt a small giggle slip through her lips, "I was kissed," she answered, missing the little noise Kohaku made in the back of his throat.

Rin looked down with teary, glistening eyes at the golden sea necklace clasped tightly in her right hand. The shells sparkled a pure golden hue just as she remembered, _just like those eyes. _And the pearls glimmered against the sun coming in from the window, so soft, _like that skin._

"I was kissed by a mermaid."

**AN: Lol I think our Rin might be a bit confused on gender, but that's for her to find out. I hope none of you really thought I would make our Sesshomaru a girl now, even I laughed at the thought of him wearing those bras made of shells. XD**

**The idea came to me when I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean (the ones with the mermaids) and when I thought about all the sess/rin stories I've read where rin is a mermaid I thought of what it would be like to switch the roles. I've yet to come across a fanfic story like that, but that doesn't mean there isn't another one out there. This is just mine :)) and I'm proud of it!**

**Usually I do not like to make Rin royalty, but I thought it would be more interesting in this stories case. The thought of putting Kohaku in here was risky because I don't know how I am going to go about with him, but Rin needed a friend and I didn't want Kagome or Sango, I thought Rin and Kohaku's arrangement would be the little touch of drama to add so…yeah I'll think of something. This story won't be a series, but it won't be shot either, and a few things I mention about mermaids throughout the chapters will be little legends that I have looked up, free to believe if you want to or not.**

**Small facts: my first profile for Sesshomaru's character was originally intended for him to be a pirate captain lol but maybe that can wait for another story. **

**The reason why I made Rin so young was because I wanted to incorporate their first meeting with her as a child, just as it is in the manga/anime, but of course she will grow.**

**The reason for the ocean setting is because I live close to the beach and for my birthday I went to a sand castle competition, one of the sculptures (my favorite) was of a powerful sea god coming out of a twister of water (kinda looked like Thor) and others of mermaids, and mermen (kinda looked like Sesshomaru lol XD). **

**Add that all together and whala! Between and Angel and the Deep Blue Sea was formed!**

**Hope you all enjoyed, and you're welcome to leave a comment if you like so I know if I should continue or not :)) till next time when I update the final chapter for Market Mayhem.**


	2. The Story Begins

**AN: Awesome I'm so glad everyone enjoyed this story so far, with it being my first AU I was a bit nervous and wondered if it was going to be worth the write. I am so happy to see that it was, and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. I am unsure what caused the sudden want to write AU, guess I was curious and found it to be fun :)) **

**For any who haven't yet seen my other AU "From Oxfords to Sneakers" was published a few days ago, free to give it a look if any are interested in my first modern day story, if not that's cool too I just wanted to thank everyone for their review so far:**

**Aproova: I know I apologize for the long wait; I hit a snag while writing and suffered a severe case of writer's block. I hoped to be rid of it by writing these AU and it worked :D I found the inspiration I needed and am now finishing up the final chapter, it's much longer than this but I just wanted to make it worth wild if you know what I mean. Anyway thank you so much for the review I am always happy to hear from you!**

**Yuri18: thanks so much, love to read your review. And it's pronounced merman, in case you were still wondering. Wow it's almost winter over there; I hope this story can give you that beach-like feel. Though to be honest down here in south Texas the heat is a killer lol **

**Hope this chapter is to your liking, and if any questions feel free to review or pm me if the ending AU doesn't satisfy. So please enjoy and R&R!**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the Inuyasha characters.**

**Between an Angel and the Deep Blue Sea 2: The Story Begins**

"_Do you love me?" _

_The blonde-haired man nodded his head swiftly without the slightest tint of remorse in his turquoise colored eyes. Naomi frowned at him however, her grimacing face showing obvious signs that she wasn't satisfied with his answer. Her flaming, curly red hair twisted in her dainty hands as she puffed out her ruby red lips. "No Maru," she pointed out through heated hazel eyes, "I need to hear you say it."_

_Maru's brows arched at her response, his heart ached over her request and to know that she was so reluctant to believe his head gestures hurt far worse. _

"_Say it Maru," Naomi repeated, "Say you love me or I will get on that carriage and leave."_

_When Maru gave no response, the silence promoted Naomi to persuade him even further. "I will never be able to return to this land again Maru…Say you love me."_

Rin's eyes poured over every word of the book; her weak heart threatening to spill the tears in her eyes if she didn't stop reading. She read over Naomi's words of _"Say I love you"_, and in the back of Rin's throat she let out a stiffened cry as her lips muttered out a soft, "He can't…"

"_Very well then Maru," she exclaimed, "if you do not have the heart to say it then I suppose that means that you do not have a heart at all!" Maru's eyes enlarged at her comment, and reached his hand out toward her in a signal to make her stay. Naomi turned on her heels with a twisted face, and Maru ran toward her body only to be pushed back by her hands._

"_Say you love me Maru," she said while he looked at her with anguish filled eyes._

"_Say it!"_

"Rin…" A hand touched her shoulder causing Rin to flinch upward with a yelping squeak, and drop her book on the soft sand below her feet. She turned her head over her shoulder to see the humor filled face of a young man wearing a light blue tunic and brown trouser pants, his feet as bare and sandy as hers were. "Kohaku," she scolded playfully, "you know not to sneak up on me like that."

He laughed when she pouted in sheer embarrassment, and took her wrist to mount a kiss on the top of her hand. "I wouldn't do it if you didn't have such a funny reaction to it," he smiled; pleased to see her light blush when he kissed her hand. "Besides, I did call your name out." Rin smiled back as she shook her head and sighed. "What am I going to do with you," she teased before reaching down into the sand to retrieve her dirty book.

"How about joining me in the village square in two weeks," he proposed. "I hear tell that there is going to be a festival and I well…I…" His hand went to the back of his head while his eyes averted down to hide his red freckled cheeks. He heard a soft laugh erupt from pink glossy lips before Rin covered her mouth with her book. "Looks like I'm not the only one who is red here."

His face burned brighter, and Rin couldn't control the fit of laughter that burst from her mouth afterward. "Of course I'll go with you to the festival," she answered, "I thought that couples never really needed to ask questions like that?"

His face shot up in hopeful expression, "So, we are a couple?"

"Well aren't we?" Rin countered with an arched brow. They both stared at one another, completely confused as to who should speak first, and what they should say. Their small predicament was the cause of a castle dance held two months ago by Rin's staff that included the staff, her sailors and soldiers, the town's people, and some other out of town guests.

With Rin and Kohaku's friendship lasting as long as it had ever since she invited him to live in her castle home nearly nine years ago, it was no surprise that he was the first to ask her to dance despite the long line of young available men wanting the beautiful Princess Rinada's affections only for themselves. Their dance lasted over five slow songs. Him in a black dress suit outfit fit for a high rank soldier, and her in a light ankle length dress that fit her slender curves just right with an added hot pink bow wrapped around her supple waist. His hair was long for a warrior, but he kept it neat by tying it up in a high ponytail while Rin preferred to let her curly tip tresses free, still accustomed to wearing a bow to keep up her long side ponytail. A childish notion it may seem, but a habit she had not grown out of, much to his satisfaction.

By the end of the last song Kohaku ended their endless smile toward one another with a soft kiss to her pink dusted cheek.

Ever since then her last two months had been filled with occasional kisses to the tops of her hands, and the rare special times when he would brush his lips past her cheek. Their hands had yet to reach that moment of entwinement however, and she was glad that they both kept their modesty level to a fair point considering her lips have never been touched by his yet.

Of course, that didn't necessarily mean that she was striving for a first kiss from him. Her first kiss had already been taken. Yet to her, the word 'taken' was close to the word 'stolen', and she would be a complete liar if she said she felt like her first kiss was stolen. It was 'given' to her, and had her mouth not made contact with a pair of soft subtle lips then she would not be here today.

Sitting on her private, peaceful beach; enjoying the sounds of the waves and smell of the salty, windy air as she read from her favorite book.

Her mind fell into the tranquil thoughts of her first kiss, and the beautiful set of eyes that came with it. A part of her always felt wrong for feeling so excited over a kiss from a female, but it was what the female was that brought her to excitement. So beautiful, so mysterious…Rin was always dragged back in time to that fateful day; a day that her personal maids stated was nothing more than a dream until she finally gave up on persuading them a few years ago. Now that she was older some days even she would try to convince herself that it was all just her imagination. Mermaids did not exist; nothing more than stories for children. Yet if it were just her imagination she felt she thought about it much too often, perhaps it all was real…her proof lay glistening on her neck. Her thoughts were so mixed in with her past memories; she failed to see Kohaku's own set of lips near hers.

Her glistening almond eyes had her companion striving to be near her blushing pink face, not knowing what was causing that dreamy look to drift across her facial features but he only hoped he had something to do with it. His lips neared hers, surprised that she had yet to stare directly at him, and when his eyes landed on the shiny golden trail of seashells and pearls adorning her neck he started to realize why. That necklace, he thought.

Throughout the years it had switched texture and color too many times for him to count. She was always happy on the days it was gold, and then there were times where neither of them could fathom why it changed, but it did and Rin would tend to become a little quieter till it suddenly reverted from its muddy dull form. He didn't question something he never understood, and sadly nobody else knew about the necklace's odd trick except for him and Rin. It never transformed before the maids or soldiers, but he saw Rin's disappointment lessen over the years over a trifle thing like that. It was always with her, weather it was gold or some dirty piece of junk, it always resided around her neck.

Even on the night of the dance when he kissed her cheek, it sparkled against the bright chandelier above them. He wouldn't, didn't dare complain. It was a nice feature and matched well with all the outfits she wore. Even her simple orange knee length dress that she wore now, which really looked more like a long shirt had it not been for the light-brown colored sash tied loosely around her waist. The golden seashells stood out so well again the column of her neck, and he wondered if she knew how dangerous carrying that thing around was.

So many questions wanted to be released; such as why she was still wearing that necklace after nearly nine years, why would she wear something that she found on the ship of a man that nearly tried to kill them, why would she wear something that made her a target for pit pocketers and thieves all around the village…Did a mermaid really give it to her?

Instead he gulped down all those questions to simply ask, "What are you reading?"

She hummed in the back of her throat before she blinked to set foot back on reality. She set her thumb in between the pages of her book before closing it and showed him the hard navy blue cover. He smiled, "That one again?"

"It's my favorite," she pouted when he seemed uninterested. Kohaku stretched out along the sand, yawning after a hard days training. "Well your mother is the author," he reminded, "so I understand how close you must feel to it."

Rin smiled before opening the pages to read from her spot. "Yes, of course I feel proud that my mother was able to publish such a wonderful love novel. I do feel close to her when I hold it," she replied, "But I wouldn't be reading it if I didn't love it for other reasons now would I?

She continued reading, all the while simultaneously talking with her sleepy companion. "It's like your father's gas mask," she exemplified causing one of his eyes lids to open while she continued. "You may always cherish it, but you wouldn't be using it if it didn't serve its purpose well right?"

He kept his one eye open before chuckling softly with an added nod of agreement. He closed his eyes again; she truly was an amazing girl. After losing her mother as well as her father she still smiled daily at anything and everyone around her, and saw the brighter side of life as best she could. As a child he always thought royalty were snobby people who hid behind their line of soldiers and court members when things got tough, but Rin proved that not all royal members stuck their noses in the air. Her selfless attitude is one of the things that drew him to her; so many things about her drew him to her like a buzzing bee to sweet sugar.

"Isn't that book about a demon falling in love with a human?" he asked out of boredom; always seeing her read it but never knowing of its contents. Rin brought her nose out of her book again to look beside her as Kohaku began to use his palms as a pillow. She smiled, "Well yes mainly," she stated, "but there is so much more to it than that."

Kohaku scuffled the urge to walk away, knowing full well that he was about to hear an ear full. Yet the sound of her voice wasn't annoying, on the contrary it was very sweet and alluring; much like her singing. Yet he prepared himself to get lost in her field of words, and found that sleep would just have to come later.

"The princely figure is a misunderstood Demon Lord, Maru, who is feared by many for his status, power, and vast amounts of wealth. Until one day he sets his eyes on the well-respected human, Princess Naomi, whose beautiful good looks and flirtatious charm captures his attention, and later on his heart."

Kohaku lifted his head some, "So they fall and love and get married right?"

Rin's answer came out in a mild shock, "No, of course not!"

"Well why not, they love each other so why not," Kohaku pondered for a mere second before laying his head back on his palms, "Oh right, he's a demon."

"It's not just that," Rin added, "Naomi is a very selfish princess who would go to any lengths to make sure things went her way. Though in some ways she was smitten by Maru for his handsome good looks and wealth, she made a thoughtless request for him to give up his demon powers to become human. She points out more than once that she will not have a demon for a husband, and when he is human only then will she be with him."

Kohaku kept quiet with his eyes shut closed, content on just listening.

"So Maru goes to see a dark warlock and ask that he remove his demon powers, but was warned that there will be a price to pay. He goes through with it, for Naomi's sake, and becomes a handsome blonde haired mortal. He goes back to see Naomi, but in her time of reconsideration, asks that Maru say the one thing she had yet to hear from him."

"So does he say it?" Kohaku wonders, "Of does he really not love her?"

"He loved her," Rin assured, "but he couldn't say it because…because the warlock took away his vocals; rendering him of his speech."

"Ouch…"

"I know, and Naomi is the kind of character who would never settle for just a head gesture; even if he wrote it in blood she wouldn't believe him."

"He couldn't bring the warlock to show her what he did for her?"

Rin shook her head, "No, the warlock was a crafty character who wouldn't have associated himself with humans in the first place."

"But…wasn't she smitten with him…"

"She was selfish, she fell for his looks and wealth; something the book says she could find anywhere else in the world, but not a soul like his. She even went so far as to tell him that she was just going to have to find a man that would openly confess his love to her, unlike him."

"The fact that he couldn't speak at all didn't strike her as odd?"

"The book says she thought it all a joke he was playing, a part of her refused to believe a demon would fall for her. She was always having second thoughts about them…she never truly loved him…"

"So what happens in the end?"

"She leaves," Rin sighed, "She leaves him heartbroken; her mind set on leaving the lands that she once promised they would live in happily together."

"And him?"

"He's alone, more than ever before. In the end he goes back to kill the warlock for not telling him of the spell's effect, but without his demon strength he practically gets himself killed for picking a fight with a magical being. The warlock refuses to kill him however, saying that he would not give Maru an escape toward death. So he turns him back into a demon where he will live for over a thousand years to drown in his own loneliness. He is still rendered of his vocals, and when word got out of what he did for a human it shames his statues and family name. The lack of Naomi's trust and the warlock's betrayal turned him into a bitter nasty being that humans and demons not only fear, but hate."

Rin let out a deep sigh as she closed the book, "He truly is alone in the end…"

Kohaku lifted himself on his elbows, looking to Rin who wore a sad expression on her face. "Sad…is that how the story ends." She nodded as she stretched out her arms, a small smile striking her features when the salty wind hit her face; tussling her hair behind her.

"Why would your mother ends a story in such a sad way?"

"I think she had plans to make a sequel," Rin explained, "at least, that is what Miss Kaede told me when I asked, and she would have had it not been for her passing."

Kohaku nodded, staring at the vast blue ocean as it crashed against the sand at their feet leaving pearly white bubbled behind.

"It's a shame," Rin said, "everybody in the village loved her book. She even received reviews from other towns, even lands." Kohaku's eye grew wide, "I never knew how popular it was."

"Neither did I, until I asked Kaede. I remember after I finished I cried for a whole two days over Maru's sad ending," she giggled. "I guess that was kind of silly though." Kohaku sat up and took her hand in his, rubbing his cheek against her soft creamy knuckles, "It's not silly, but I do wonder why you would call it your favorite if it makes you sad in the end."

"Books are funny that way. Sometimes the saddest stories are the one that you can never forget." She clung to the navy blue hard cover of the book, "If my heart yearns…cries out over something happening to a fictional character, then I know this book will always be closest to my heart. Throughout my time reading I've grown to love Maru, even if he isn't real I want for him to find his happy ending."

Kohaku dusted the sand off his trousers in an almost perverse way, wondering if he was truly getting jealous over a fictional character that Rin openly stated that she loved. His mouth muttered quietly, "Sounds like a love struck fool to me…"

"Say something?" Rin queried.

"Oh I uh…was going to ask what you were going to do about…that…his happy ending I mean."

"Glad you asked," Rin chirped before jumping off the rock she sat one. She moved in front of Kohaku, her orange dress moving with the wind as she extended her arm out to her sides. "Tell me what you think of this idea, years after Naomi leaves a young woman goes to study the land Maru lives on and meets him."

"Huh, you mean you're going to write the sequel?"

"Well why not," Rin frowned, "I've read the book so many times I feel obligated to do it now, especially since mama wrote the first book."

"But I've only ever seen you read, never write," he countered, "Even for your speech class you hated writing your speeches and essays."

"Well," Rin argued as she placed her dainty fists on her hips, "this is different."

"I thought you wanted to be a singer?"

"More than anything," Rin guaranteed, "But I can do other things too. Father was a world class hunter, a veteran soldier, a traveler, and a king all in one. I can do other things," she winked with a gleam of success in the argument. "So what do you think of the idea of Maru meeting a young singer who's lost her way in the world as she strives to find inspiration, in which only Maru can give her?" Rin ended her sentence in a dramatic hand gestures that had the sweat on Kohaku's head drip down his brow. His mind was jumbled; _I prefer the story of the princess who falls in love with her childhood friend who swore to always protect her. _

"So you're a princess, a singer, and now you want to add a novelist to that list," he teased, "Shouldn't a wish for a unicorn be somewhere in there?"

"Oh hush," Rin playfully splashed him, dirtying his trousers and wetting his shirt. He laughed at her mischievousness, and lifted himself up to give her a little payback. Rin's own sweet laughter was added before she sprinted down the sea shores, the waves tickling up her legs and the sand sticking to her toes. The necklace dangled against her neck as the sun began to drift down, her eyes longing to meet the sunset. She never missed it; whether she gazed at it from her beach, or at home through her bedroom window it was always a vision of beauty.

It always reminded her of those eyes. So aloof, empty, and yet so exquisitely beautiful eyes that she had yet to find any kind of jewel to compare it to. When her childhood desire of seeing those golden eyes was unable to come true, she settled for the next, and closely related, scene she could.

"Wait Rin," Kohaku called out, completely out of breath, "I give I give!"

Rin stopped in her tracks as she turned her head, "What," she now teased, "Training becoming too much for you?"

"Very funny," he gasped. Rin's brows shot up at his deep breaths, and in return she ran back to his side; her hand reaching out to pat his shoulder. "Kohaku, are you alri-" A pair of strong arms wound around her waist, lifting her off her feet so bringing her nose to nose with her captive. "Kohaku," she chided, "Not funny, you tricked me."

"That's right," he smiled in triumph, holding her close as he gazed into her dark chocolate eyes. "Rin," he said. She let out a breathy sigh, ceasing herself any further struggle knowing it would get her nowhere. "Yeah…" She fixed her sight upon his blushing pink face, his freckles standing out almost reminded her of a strawberry, and she giggled some in his hold. Kohaku gulped at her snicker, causing his blush to deepen to a darker shade of red. "We've been friends for a very long time now, haven't we," he stated rather than asked.

"Almost nine years to be exact," she smiled, relieved when he finally set her back on her feet. He stood a few inches above her, and it would be a lie if she said he had not grown into a very handsome young man. From the young boy who would chase her around the castle in a game of hide-and-seek, to this remarkable young warrior who took charge of her father's army where she, being a young lady, could not. He had gained a high amount of respect from the maids and workers at her castle, mainly because most believed that had it not been for him than their young princess would not be alive with them now. Rin didn't argue with their comments, considering that it was true in a way.

"Right, well…" Kohaku could feel another lump gather in his throat, "There…there has been something that I've been meaning to tell you."

"What is it?" Her large almond eyes twinkled against the sun, making her all the more alluring to him. She was so beautiful, her features were simple and never too over the top. She was a complete breath of fresh air compared to the women in the village who tried to seduce him through their faces caked with make-up and their body language shown off through cloths that hardly gave them any humility. As a result of his thoughts, his lips begun to move closer to hers again, wondering if fate would be kind to him now, and allow him the kiss he has sought after for years.

Rin's smile wavered when she noticed the close proximity of his lips, and felt her cheeks take on a pink tint when she thought of what was soon to come. Kohaku wanted to kiss her, maybe he liked her more than she thought he did. And she liked him too; always making her laugh, listening to what she had to say, and helped console here when she thought of the few things she lacked in life. Was this how it was meant to be, she thought, him and her together like this?

His lips drew closer, only a few breaths away from her quivering petals. She gulped before closing her eyes, relishing in the moment just as the characters in her books did. This is right, she told herself, she and Kohaku have yet to do something such as this, and after a month of respectable kisses to the cheek it only made sense that they would reach this level. There was nothing wrong with just a little kiss, she thought as she finally relaxed the muscles in her legs. Her mind drifted off, wondering what his kiss would feel like. Would his lips be as soft as a pillow or as firm as a cushion, or would they be both? Would he do a quick peck, or linger on for a few moments, or kiss the breath out of her in the end? She felt her cheeks grow warmer as she thought more on the subject.

Would he taste like the coffee he drank in the morning, or the sweet taste of minty coconut mixed with…

Her eyes shot open in surprise, her face apple red now. _I don't believe it…even when Kohaku is about to kiss me I still think about…why…why after nine years…why does that day still haunt my mind. _

Nine years was a long time, even after a year Rin was able to overcome her fits of tears over her father's death; wanting only to smile at his memory instead of crying over his departure. Over the years she has moved on with her life, accepting that it was her father's time and that she should be happy that he was able to finally be with her mother; but that kiss, those eyes, that skin, that hair, that music. Like a constant dream that she woke up to each morning, allowing her to think that today would be the day that she would get to meet those pools of gold again, but no avail. Even to this day she still thought about that mythical creature, and whether or not they really existed; every little child needed some sort of fairy tale to believe in, and as they grew older they eventually grew out of their fantasies as well…so why couldn't she?

A loud horn thundered in the distance, stopping Kohaku's lips from moving any further as both he and Rin turned their heads in curious shock to see a boat sailing up to a nearby dock. "That's the boat that Sargent Koga left in a few days ago, come one," she urged as she took Kohaku's hand to drag him the rest of the way down the shore. A disappointed frown crossed his features, fate was cruel.

"I wonder if he found a reasonable player to perform with me on my show tomorrow," Rin pondered as she neared the old brown docking bridge. She raced up the old wooden stairs; her book nestled in a small pocket sewn into her dress, and her heart raced when she realized the sunset was about to approach.

A fair size wooden boat sailed up to the docks; neither too large nor too small. A good handful of people leaned near the railing, waving their hands out as Rin smiled out to them. One of them was to play alongside her at her birthday celebration tomorrow, but as sweet as she's been told she was, she was highly picky when it came to picking players. Not that they were bad, but she came to the conclusion the moment she heard that flute-like music years ago that she wanted only that specific tune to compliment her singing. Rin took a deep breath, reminding herself that she cannot have such high expectations when she didn't even get a glimpse of the instrument to which that beautiful sound came from. Maybe it was just as much a part of her imagination as that mermaid was.

Her hand drifted from her heart to her necklace, which was as real as every other piece of jewelry she owned. _If this is real, doesn't that mean that everything else was too?_

"Ginta, Hakaku," Rin shouted as she spotted two of her other very good friends. Two young men waved back from the edge of the boat, their smiles as bright as their body armor. Even Koga, who was busy steering the ship into safety took the time to wave back at her. The three men were in no way related, but they each had a very odd way of dressing in the same fashion style. Armor over bare skin while the only thing hiding their lower regions was a short pair of brown trousers, and their hair styles were of the strangest kind, all except Koga whose long midnight black hair stood in a high ponytail.

They originated from a tribal group in the mountains, and Rin heard from Ginta and Hakaku how after their mountain crumpled from a small earthquake, they along with Koga were the only survivors. Her father found them as young boys scavenging the forests, and invited them to live in his castle in return for their future services as either soldiers or workmen. They agree of course, but the rough outer exterior and savage customs of their tribal life still clung to them in some ways. Not that she minded, they were each hard working respectable men, and had it not been for Ginta and Hakaku finding her unconscious body on the beach long ago then she may have been carried away by the tide.

Rin navigated the boat as best she could with her hands till it was safely in port, something she picked up on doing from Koga himself. He was the first of a few brave men that decided to go out to sea to provide her land with fresh fish, something most men were too scared to do since they found out about their king's misfortunate death at sea. Many boat men believed the sea to be haunted after the news spread to the village; that evil snake-like sea creatures must have dragged the king to his watery grave, or underwater witches had controlled the weather to bring their beloved king to meet his demise.

Rin didn't believe the stories of a haunted sea; she did however, believe that the vast blue oceans below held many things that no land dweller would ever be able to comprehend.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

"Did you hear anything Koga?" Rin asked when the ship finally ported in while Ginta and Hakaku were busying themselves with tying it up, meanwhile Kohaku explained to most of the guests on how the princess's birthday celebration was going to go tomorrow, and how only one of them would join her on stage. It was going to be a simple celebration, Rin kindly asked her maids and supervisors that she didn't want anything too over the top, and that the location just absolutely had to be the beach so that she could commemorate her father's death by singing a small song near his grave. What the song would be about she was not entirely sure yet, she only had a few words written out so far, but at the moment there was something else she so desperately wanted to know.

"Rin the only sounds I heard that sounded anything like a flute was from that small carrot top over there," Koga pointed as the young boy with orange red hair who held his simple flute with trembling hands.

"It's wasn't even all that good if you want my opinion," he grumbled as he cleaned the water from his ears. Rin turned back to the blue eyed soldier, "But you're sure you heard the sound coming from his flute?"

"Kind of hard to miss it," he answered. "Why? You always ask me if I hear a flute every time I go out to sea, and my answer is always no…what's with the question anyway."

Rin let out a small sigh before turned away from the one problem that she truly held no desire in answering. What was she to say, _I wanted to know it you heard the same noise I heard nine years ago when I awoke on my beach to find a mermaid laying in front of me….right after an incident where I am more than certain that said mermaid kissed me! Right Rin, he certainly won't think you're jesting after that explanation._

Rin jolted when she felt a warm palm touch her shoulder, and turned to see Koga stare back at her with pitied eyes. "Does it have something to do with your father?" The sweet princess blinked at the man's sudden question, and turned back to him to present one of her signature smiles at his concern. "Uh…no," Rin shook her head, "No it's not that it's just…"

The sounds of a large splash of water and a couple of shocked gasps had Koga and Rin looking toward the boat as Ginta and Hakaku lifted their bodies out of the water near the dock. "What is the world happened to you two idiots?" Koga asked as both he and Rin help the two out. They shook the water from their bodies, almost like the dogs they trained, and pointed to an empty net by the boat.

"All the fish are gone," Hakaku cried.

"Yeah, we were busy tying up the ship when we heard the splash of water," said Ginta.

"We tried to grab hold of the net to save what we could," Hakaku added.

"But we only ended up falling in," Ginta shrugged.

Rin quickly ran inside the boat to fetch a few spare towels before running back to help the two soldiers dry off. "No need to do that Princess Rinada," Ginta politely argued when Rin helped him dry his forearms and Hakaku's head. "Yeah we don't want you getting wet and catching cold," the other dripping male protested.

"Nonsense," Rin smiled, "You two could be the ones to catch cold if you don't dry up quick."

"But miss," they both said in unison.

"No buts," Rin refuted, "I am going to need your help for tomorrow's ceremony so I have to help, and remember guys it's just Rin."

The two young males felt their cheeks grow warm at their princess's kind generosity, "Yes Miss Rin," they both blushed. How lovely she was, but they both instantly threw aside the thought of her heart ever being in their procession. Rumors had it that the young slayer man that grew up alongside her in her castle was to be her betrothed. Thought it was never made certain, many maids have stated that the late king had plans to arrange a marriage for his daughter, and the slayer was to be her intended future spouse. "Sorry about the fish," they apologized, but for what reason Rin could not fathom. She only smiled, "Don't worry there's plenty to go around still."

"Hey Rin," Kohaku called out from the end of the dock. "These people here would like to hear a bit of your singing, so they know what to prepare for when they practice."

"Oh," was all Rin could say; a little bewildered that they would ask such a request all of a sudden. "Sure I'll be on my way.

Rin walked back to the sandy shores of the beach along with Ginta and Hakaku following close behind while Koga stayed a tad longer to inspect the fish nets. His rough fingers skimmed over the sturdy ropes, wondering how his new equipment, such as his nets, could just bust all of a sudden. Upon further inspection Koga spotted a thin slice on the lower area of the net. A straight line cut all the way down the net, he growled at somebody's idea of a joke.

"It was cut," he said, deciding against explaining that to the princess. She already had enough to deal with. With a shake of his head he lifted himself up to join the others on shore.

Everyone gathered on the sand; the waves crashing against their feet, and the palm trees leaving them with bountiful shade. They all settled in just as sunset had arrived; leaving the soft white sand looking more orange than usual, and glittering the sea with pink and purple sparkles. _Beautiful, _Rin thought as she stared out to the sinking sun. She turned her head to her small crowd, the usual nervousness building in her throat but she swallowed it down as she clear her voice. She picked her most sung and recent favorite song; many songs were her favorite considering what mood she was in, but only one came to mind at that moment. She clasped her hands together near her heart, right above her necklace as she always did, and allowed the first tune of her song to echo off her lips.

_Far below a storm filled with rage_

_Far below deep in the sea_

The audience listened in on the first few words, loving the way the voice matched so well with the tune; already feeling the emotions the young woman was singing out. Sadness, despair, yet a twinge of hope.

_My body feels tangled with its waves_

_Someone, please save me_

Kohaku found himself frowning at her song, not that it wasn't as near to perfect as it always was. He just happened to know what she was referring to. Sometimes he didn't understand what brought her to sing about that day, but then again he's yet to hear the entire song.

_Sunset where have you gone_

_The sea grows as black as the night_

_Sunset shine out the dark _

_Show me the light_

_The audience listened in with keen interest, even Hakaku and Ginta who stood in the middle with the towels wrapped around their shoulders while Koga lay closer to the back. Their princess sang exquisitely, like a beautiful song bird._

_Black clouds distend in the air_

_My body feels as cold as a stone_

_Somebody take me by the hand_

_Show me that I'm not alone_

_Whip your hands across my tears_

_Give me breath to-_

"Princess Rinada!"

Rin stumbled on her words, and re-opened her eyes in complete shock as she met her right hand maid Kaede. "My Lady what are yae doing out this time of day, yae have a speech to finish and yae are out singing," the old woman reprimanded. "I-I was just singing to our new guests. They needed a reference of my voice so they know what to play during tomorrows audition."

"Well that be fine and dandy," Kaede firmly stated before grabbing Rin's hand. "But yae have a speech before that song, and I hardly be seeing a word written yet. So I want yae to get to it right now please," the old woman bowed, not forgetting who was of higher power. Rin sighed in defeat; there was just no going over her maid, like some dotting grandmother that Rin couldn't help but love. "Yes Kaede," she nodded before waving at her audience as they clapped wildly.

The audience members let out disappointed remarks over the ended song, but as a result they got the tune that they needed to play. The little red headed boy in the far front clutched his flute tightly as he felt like his little green bowtie was compressing his blowpipes. _Just take it easy Shippo, you've been playing the flute for a long time you got this…oh but that's a hard song to play alongside. Maybe I should have just not come at all; she sure is pretty though…NO! I need to focus and keep it together. _

Apparently he was not the only one worried about keeping up with the tune of the song. As beautiful as it was, many of the instrumentalists all had worried looks plastered on their faces. Many had mostly with them guitars and violins, and Shippo became more worried by the minute. If he failed it was back to the lonely grass lands for him.

The beach became emptier the more people began to follow the crowd toward the castle. Kohaku followed along after Rin up the stone staircase up to the main land, while Koga and his group followed at the end to ensure that no one would get lost. Much to everyone's relief and pleasure; the white wall that had been built on the late king's orders to enclose the castle away from the ocean's breathtaking view was no longer standing. It was demolished the moment Rin was old enough to issue the order, now nothing stood in her way between her and her beloved sea. Even after everything that happened, she still found peace being near the vast blue ocean and light blue sky.

"Are you really going to write your speech?" Kohaku asked from behind Rin's shoulder; knowing his friend a little better than normal and knew writing speeches just was not her thing. She usually just went with what she felt, and it almost always turned out right. Rin felt herself chuckle a little as she put her finger to her lips while shaking her head. She reached into her pocket to point out and indicate she was going to read more of her book, until she grew a little frantic when she felt nothing but her own fingers in her pocket. In a quick flash she turned on her heels and walked past the crowd.

"Excuse me, pardon me, I forgot something on the beach," she said passed all the pushes and questions. When her toes met the sandy texture again she immediately retraced her steps, and found that her book was nowhere on the sand. _Please don't tell me it fell when Kohaku was chasing me!_

Her mind screamed at the thought; that book was her only copy signed by her mother herself. Though she could always look for and buy another, it would not have the same marks Rin had made to it throughout the years. The same ink stains when she read while doing her school work or the same little splotches of jam when she read during breakfast, or same worn out cover that smelt of her mother's perfume.

"Mother's picture," Rin hung her head low in despair. She had plenty of pictures, but one of her favorites was used as her bookmark for that book. Now it was gone.

She looked around more, hoping to see a touch of blue on the sand, but no luck. She ran quite a distance when Kohaku chased her, and knew that she would only have to search in the morning if the tide hadn't carried her book away.

"Maybe there is still time for me to-"

"Hey Rin you coming?" shouted Kohaku from the top of the stairway leading to the main land. Rin turned her head from her friend, to the sands that they ran on only a few moments ago, not knowing what to do she felt like calling out to him. She could ask Kohaku for help, maybe even Ginta, Hakaku, and Koga…but this was all her fault. She should have been more responsible, and now she could only hope that her book was safe somewhere wedged in the sand, and the pages were not withering away in the sea.

"Yeah," she answered sadly before turning back to walk up the stone stairway leading to her home.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

The sunset still shinned against the dark blue sea. Sparkles reflected off the water as waves crashed against the rocks and against the dock's wooden pillars that held the bridge up. The waters became livelier the more waves crashed against the dock. Bubbles sizzled and a few seagulls screeched when a large wave crashed at the end of the docking bridge, sending water spattering up onto the wood, and leaving a pale clawed hand reaching out to grab hold of the end of the bridge.

A slim, yet muscled arm followed that hand until the entire limp was on the board walk. The bicep muscles flexed, and a stream of silver hair appeared out of the water, just as the wave settled back into the sea. Silky silver locks clung to alabaster skin as the mythical golden-eyed sea creature lifted themselves on the dock, revealing a slender body that ran down from a strong pale neck. Slender, but the pectoral muscles were evident, and the strong abs that followed below a hard stomach showed off more of the masculine brilliance given to the silver-haired merman aside from the rigid physique that accompanied his biceps and forearms.

He moved further onto the docking bridge; most of his body on solid ground while half of his long silver tail hung off the edge, occasionally flipping from one side to the other. His scales reflected many colors of the sea and sky, making his lower body glisten with the faintest colors of the rainbow shinning against his fin. A few fur-like extensions grew from his fin, like soft strings of moss, but the added detail only added to the sea-man's beauty.

He supported himself on his elbows, while pulling out a small white satchel that hung at his side sustained by a thin wire decorated with small seashells. His wrists were adorned with shark's teeth, and two small sand-dollars blended in with the glossy tresses on either side of his head. Even his high pointed elf-like ears were adorned with tiny pearls that shimmered against the lower are of his lobe. The only unoccupied area was the creature's neck, a plain visage but perhaps that soon will change.

He opened the satchel, and pulled out the newest treasure that he found lying carelessly along the beach. A navy blue hardcover book that a certain princess lost, which was now in the procession of the sunny eyed creature that she had yet to come to terms whether or not they truly existed. Her 'mermaid' inspected the hard covered book, a scowl of annoyance striking his handsome features when he found that the object made no noise what so ever. He flipped the pages and found that the water soaked sheets of worded paper rendered it useless of doing anything.

He leaned down toward the book, and opened it to a random page to see water tearing away at the paper. He took in a small intake of breath, and blew out a gush of windy air, much more powerful that of the breath blown from a human, that had the papers flipping side to side with each angle of his head. The pages began to dry by the rush of air emitted from the sea creature's powerful lungs. Though his stoic face didn't show it, his fin looped in amusement as hearing the pages flutter; something he had never come across before. Again he repeated the process, intrigued at the strange sound of paper sliding against paper. After the third time he grew dis-interested, and picked up the object to shake it and see what else it was capable of.

A small square piece of paper came out, and when the merman realized what had happened he shook it more to see what other surprises were to come out. None, and with that he grew tired of his new toy, and tossed it aside to the middle of the deck, having no interest in something that bored him so soon.

He did however, pick up the picture that flew out, and after making sure that no land dwellers were near he turned on his back as he lay on the dock to stretch out the human half of his body. His arms lifted up till, and his hand tightened in a coiled fist, unfazed over the fact that his perfectly sharpened claws had pierced his pearly skin.

He held the picture up for him to inspect, and continued to stare at the image of a beautiful woman in the small sepia photo. Her hair was pinned in a small bun, and her face held a high elegance that matched her regal dress ware. She sat on a chair with her hand folded in her lap' a few pieces of jewelry hung from her neck, ears, and fingers. As he studied the photo his hand nonchalantly went to his white satchel, and pulled out a _shinbone-tibia_ seashell. The seashell was carved with holes, giving it the impression of a very unique flute. One of his greater treasures compared to the other pearls, sharks teeth, fish bones, and land-dwelling objects he's found in his past.

With swift movement he lifted his musical instrument, and blew softly against the tip of the shell; white on one side, and shifted to lavender purple on the other end; the sharp spikes that stuck out only added to tuning the music to a perfect pitch. A steady harmony began to play. His eyes were fixed to the interesting picture in his hand in, feeling himself fall into a very relaxed position with his tail occasionally dipping into the water and splashing a few drops on his body. His skin sparkled with the fresh drops of water sliding down his chest, and his wet bangs clung to his face.

After a moment of staring, he placed the picture back into his bag before the help from his other hand allowed his colorful melody to play the harmonious and instrumental background of a song that came from a voice that he had recently been listening in on. His instrument matched the words he was unable to sing, and he closed his eyes in pure contentment as he thought back on the melody that vibrated against his ears.

_***Far below a storm filled with rage***_

_***Far below deep in the sea***_

_***My body feels tangled with its waves***_

_***Someone, please save me***_

By the end the merman lifted his honey glazed eyes to stare out into the dark sky, nightfall had already come; the quarter moon was a near perfect match with his birthmark. His head turned to the side and upward as he watched the lights flicker off from the highest tower that accompanied the man-man castle high above on the grassy hilltop.

Inside a dark room, a young princess readied herself for bed. She placed her necklace on her nightstand before snuggling into her soft pink covers, allowing herself to fall into a mythical dream where the sunset was endless, and visions of a pale, unworldly creature took her away to a land of dreams.

**AN: Even my AU stories turn out longer than intended, I'm glad I didn't set myself any limits lol Questions still buzzing in your head? Well future chapters will hold the answer! **

**Now as far as Sesshomaru goes, I pictured him a little more free spirited than his usual demon character; I hope to portray him the exact same way I would picture a merman, (and Google has merman fan art which I found interesting to look at because most of the pictures are of men with long hair and pointed ears like Sesshomaru lol some have lower shark bodies instead of fish bodies, but I thought fish scales and long fins would fit him more gracefully) and as different as he may seem in some areas, as the story continues I think you will notice a few of the same traits that he had in the anime.**

**If any are curious to know what a sand dollar or a shinbone-tibia seashell looks like Google had images of that too just in case any want to get an idea of the instrument he plays, thought I doubt seashells can really play music as well as I described lol that's why this is fantasy. If any of you are wondering why I made are silver haired merman wear jewelry, I learned that as some legends state, mer-people were not oblivious to their beauty, they knew they were beautiful so they adorned themselves with jewels and pearls to enhance their looks; the more alluring the better. I didn't want him to be too girly, so I added the sharks teeth (which merman used as a sign of their killed prey, at least as far as I know) to bring back his masculinity. They are known to be very curious creatures, as legends states, and have an attraction to any beautiful sound (like the mermaids in the pirates of the Caribbean movie lol)**

**So now our dear Rin's most treasured book is in the hands of the creature she had once met when she felt she was on the brink of death. I smell a meeting coming on in the next chapter, so I hope you all get to stay alert to see how her birthday celebration goes, and if or whether or not she ever gets her book back. Thanks again for all the reviews! And future chapters will unfold the mystery of out curious silver merman so stay alert. Till next time :D**


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